Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) was one of the greatest artists of the twentieth century. As a young child, Picasso had a remarkable gift for drawing and painting. As he grew up and studied under different artists, his painting style changed many times. He was always trying new and different things. He brought a new sense of freedom to the art world. He was an unpredictable character, dedicated to art and to discovering new forms of expression.
Some of his most memorable work is done in a cubist style. Cubism is one of the most important periods in the history of modern art, it is a style that got its name from the image being broken up into little cubes. It shocked people that Picasso started painting people and things that didn’t look the way they were suppose to look.
For his inspiration, Picasso drew heavily on his personal life, especially his relationships with his various lady friends. Study these two portraits below.
Weeping Woman 1937
Portrait of Dora Maar
Fifth graders, please answer the following question by Wednesday, November 4th.
- What similar elements of design do you see in the two portraits. You may list the elements and then provide an explanation of what you actually see.
- How does this particular style of painting make you feel? Explain why.
