Sunday, November 8, 2009

The Period May Be Rose, The Colors Cheerful, But The Girl Looks Blue

By Connor Sullivan

There is something about a painting that inspires the imagination. While a great photograph is powerful, a painting artist enchants, interpreting mood and shaping the image. Many people realize that great anniversary gifts are portraits. Artists through the ages made portraits a part of their craft. Pablo Picasso painted many captivating portraits in all his distinctive periods of work. He created a lot of self portraits and plenty of paintings of models. His painting of Girl in Chemise is an evocative portrayal of a waif like girl.

Pablo Diego Jos Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno Mara de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santsima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso, referred to simply as Picasso, went through many styles during his long life. These styles are referred to in the art world as periods. In his early years his works are often considered his modern period. His first well known period is his blue period beginning around 1901. It was a somber period in which his palette was dominated by blues and greens. Some believe this period was influenced by the suicide of his friend Carlos Casagemas. Picasso created a couple tributes to Casagemas, and a lot of his models during this period where street urchins and prostitutes. Picasso revealed the desperation and grief of street life. His paintings may have been a reflection his inner demons.

Picasso's following acknowledged period was his rose period. Around this time he painted The Boy With A Pipe. This was one of the most expensive paintings ever sold. One of the first paintings during the rose period was of a young girl known only as Madeline and titled The Girl In A Chemise. The picture bridges styleswith the background and mood similar to that of the blue period, and showing the beginning of the rose tones in the girls face and skin. This has led some to classify this as one of the last paintings of the blue period. Most consider it one of the first products of the rose period. The painting reveals a woman presenting a side profile shoulders turned towards the artist. The Chemise falls gently revealing a thin waif like girl beneath. The skin and exposed cheek, even in profile, seems tight and pale. Some art critics see the Rose period as Picasso's venture back to a more cheerful mood and romanticism. In the painting A Girl In A Chemise it appears the only cheerful aspect is the introduction of the rose tones. Madeline appears in several of Picasso's paintings, and always seems to have a sadness about her.

Picasso went on to different styles of work. He moved from the Rose period into an African period which showed early signs of his cubism period. Picassonext periods were classicism and surrealism. Through out all his workhehad a love for figures and portraits.

Picassochanged the face of the art world. He was one of the first major celebrity artists of the twentieth century. His development and styles can be traced and studied. Every distinctive style holds up by itself. The Girl In A Chemise is a provocative piece that marks his transition out of the blue period and raises interest in the thin model Madeline.

About the Author:

No comments:

Post a Comment