During the rise of the Cubist movement, Spanish artist Pablo Picasso impacted the art culture and contributed thousands of artworks from paintings, sculptures, ceramics, and even drawings in his lifetime. As a primary artist in the Cubist movement, this period consisted of geometric abstraction, allowing artists such as Picasso to incorporate his love for music into his paintings. Today, his work reflects how he highlighted inspiration from African, Greek, and Fauvist art.
Pablo Picasso had a strong opinion of art and how each movement encapsulated his work. Picasso stated, “If a work of art cannot live always in the present it must not be considered at all. The art of the Greeks, of the Egyptians, of the great painters who lived in other times, is not an art of the past; perhaps it is more alive today than it ever was.” (Picasso, P. 1923. Barr. A. 1939.). Picasso believed that all art should feel new as each generation of artists progresses. His work demonstrates how creatively he improved as an individual and artist.
As Christians, we can view his work as a symbol of not becoming like the world. In Scripture, the author of Romans states how we should be set apart from worldly behavior, being who God created us to be through His grace. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…” (Romans 12:2, ESV Bible). Picasso set himself apart from others as he found his style further in life. Today, viewing Picasso’s artwork could feel like a fresh experience, a timeless piece of history representing his life, inspiration, and the mind of a Cubist creator.
For more articles on Pablo Picasso please visit:
Museum of Modern Art Pablo Picasso: https://www.moma.org/artists/4609#works & Mnuchin Gallery Pablo Picasso: https://www.mnuchingallery.com/artists/pablo-picasso
Hannah J. Pasquini © 2022
References:
“Picasso Speaks A Statement by the Artist,” The Arts no. 5 (May 1923), 315-26; reprinted as “Statement by Picasso: 1923” in Picasso: Forty Years of His Art, ed. Alfred Barr Jr. (New York: Museum of Modern Art, 1939), 11. https://www.moma.org/artists/4609#works
The English Standard (ESV) Bible Romans 12:2
