Pablo Picasso's The Old Guitarists

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The Old Guitarist is an oil painting done by Picasso after the suicide of his friend, Casagemas. Between 1901-04, Picasso began his Blue Period in response to Casagemas' suicide and his own experiences during his travels in Spain. His Blue Period consisted of paintings done with a cold, monochromatic blue palette, flattened forms, and tragic, sorrowful themes. Duirng this period, Picasso painted many pieces that depicted the poor, the ill, and the one cast out of society (artic.edu). In 1905, Picasso's depression started to dissipate and he began his Rose Period. Art made during this period was made with more vibrant, lively colors such as beiges and pinks (study.com). At the same time The Old Guitarist was made, Picasso took part in …show more content…

Both Picasso and Braque created a modern form of art that reflected the rapid changes in the modern world. Traditional paintings had only one viewpoint but Cubists wanted to make art that had more than one flat view. They wanted to reach beyond the rigid geometry of perspective. A typical Cubist painting portrays real people, places, and objects but not a fixed viewpoint. It will show you different views of the picture by using different angles, shapes, and colors to make the painting into one huge interchangable piece …show more content…

Picasso used artistic techniques from El Greco, a 16th-century artist, to illustrate the old man's lengthy limbs, and his cramped posture (artic.edu). Picasso painted a malnourished, older man in ripped clothing sitting on the ground while leaning on the wall behind him, playing the guitar. The man's posture can give the viewer a sense of pity because he is sitting in an uncomfortable position since it is obvious he is a poor man during this time in Spain. His bent head represents his lower status since beggars of the time were often looked down on. The eyes of the man are closed which signifies that the man is blind. But even though the beggar is blind, he sits in an uncomfortable position while playing his guitar in a passionate manner. I say passionate because even though his status does not give him much to be grateful about, he seems to enjoy his playing without the need or desire of money since he does not have a bucket or hat near him for spare

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