picasso
Short Biography of Pablo Picasso
Born in the Spanish town of Málaga. Pablo Picasso was a middle class family's first child. His father painted as well and was mainly specialised in creating paintings of exotic birds.
From an early age Pablo showed skills and a passion for drawing; according to Picasso's mother, "piz, piz" were the first words her boy spoke, which is a shortening of lápiz, meaning ‘pencil' in Spanish.
When Pablo reached the age of seven, his father who was a traditional, instructor and academic began teaching him how to paint and draw figures. In 1891 the family settled down in La Coruña where father became a professor at the School of Fine Arts.
They lived in La Coruña for nearly four years. On one occasion Pablo's father saw his son working on his incomplete sketch of a pigeon. Observing the young boy's technical precision, the proud father concluded that his thirteen-year-old son had surpassed him, and decided giving up painting.
After having studied art in Madrid, in 1900 Pablo travelled for the first time to Paris, then Europe's art capital. In France's capital he met his first friend, the poet and journalist Max Jacob, who helped Pablo learning the French language and literature.
Soon the friends shared an apartment; Pablo slept during the afternoon and worked after sundown while Max slept at night. They experienced times of extreme poverty, desperation and cold. Much of his artworks were burned trying to keep their small apartment warm.
Picasso lived in Madrid until June, 1901, where he and his anarchistic friend Francisco de Asís Soler established the magazine Arte Joven (Young Art). Five issues of this magazine were published. Soler was responsible for the articles while Picasso illustrated the stories, mainly grim cartoons expressing sympathy for the poor.
By 1905 Pablo Picasso became favoured with American art collectors Gertrude and Leo Stein. Picasso created portraits of Gertrude Stein as well as of her nephew, Allan Stein. Gertrude Stein became Pablo's main patron, acquiring his paintings and sketches and exhibiting the work in her informal Salon at her Parisian house.
In 1907 Pablo Picasso joined Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler's art gallery, which recently had been opened in Paris. German art historian, Kahnweiler, became one of the 20th century's premier French art dealers.
In the Paris' Montparnasse and Montmartre quarters, Pablo entertained his distinguished friends such as André Breton, Gertrude Stein, poet Guillaume Apollinaire and writer Alfred Jarry. In 1911 Apollinaire was arrested as he was the suspect of the Mona Lisa's theft from the Louvre. Apollonaire pointed to his friend Pablo, who was brought in for questioning as well, but both were later dismissed.
Picasso stayed in Paris during Nazi occupation. Picasso's artistic style didn't fit the German National Socialist views of art, so the artist could not exhibit his artworks during WWII. Retreating to his atelier, he continued painting all the while, creating works including The Charnel House and Still Life with Guitar. Although the Nazis forbid bronze casting in Paris, Pablo continued regardless, using the material smuggled by the French Resistance.
After Paris' liberation in 1944, Picasso started a relationship with the 40 years younger, Françoise Gilot, an art student. He ended the relationship with his mistress Dora Maar to live together with Françoise. She gave him Two Children, Paloma born in 1949 and Claude born in 1947.
In 1953 his relationship with Gilot came to an end and both children left as well. Her book Life with Picasso was published in 1964, explaining the break-up as a result due to Picasso's infidelities and abusive behaviour. Her story came as a tremendous blow to Picasso.
Eventually Picasso began to accept the process of ageing and his fading attraction to young ladies. He expressed his perception that, now being 70 years old, he had become a comic and grotesque figure to young females. Several works that include prints, paintings and ink drawings from this time explore the theme of the ugly old midget as accompaniment to and a beautiful young model's doting lover.
On 8 April 1973 Pablo Picasso died in the French town of Mougins. while entertaining friends for dinner with his wife Jacqueline. The artist's last words were "Drink to me, drink to my health, you know I can not drink any more."
His final resting place can be found near Aix-en-Provence at the Chateau of Vauvenargues, a property he had purchased in 1958. It was here where he lived between 1959 and 1962 with his wife.
Jacqueline Roque prevented Picasso's children from attending the funeral. Lonely and devastated after the death of her husband, Jacqueline Roque committed suicide in 1986. She was 60 years old.
About the Author
Visual art specialist Stuart White reviewed hundreds art-related internet resources. Online he recommends; Free Art Articles
US $25.99
