Pablo Picasso is probably the most recognized artist of the 20th century, not necessarily his artwork but his name. Picasso was a revolutionary inventing new ways to create art whether it be his unorthodox techniques, media, or the way in which he perceived art. An artist of the purest kind, Picasso could create with anything. He was even known to use a flashlight as his paintbrush swiftly creating an image with the light a capturing it in a photograph. Unlike some of his counterparts his public antics and persona did not outweigh his artistic achievements. Art was his life and came before all other things including the many wives and mistresses Picasso kept. Picasso once said “Painting is stronger than me, it makes me do its bidding.” Picasso is perhaps most identified as the co-founder of the Cubist movement, along with Georges Baque.
Picasso’s interest in artwork went beyond the two dimensional surface. The Spanish master exploited his hands and mind to create art in a way that was once foreign to him, the art of sculpting. In the summer of 1947 Picasso visited the small town of Vallauris and went to a ceramic fair by happenstance. It was there that Picasso met the owners of the Madoura Pottery workshop. Picasso was welcomed to visit their workshop to experiment with the new medium of pottery. The next summer Picasso returned to Vallauris to see how his two sculptures had turned out and fell more in love with this fresh pliable medium. Picasso continued to visit the Madoura workshop in Vallauris every summer thereafter bringing with him portfolios of sketches he created while home to transform his two dimensional ideas into ceramic masterpieces. Picasso developed a way to produce limited editions of his ceramic work which are often referred to as Ceramic editions of Picasso. Picasso also designed lithographs to promote his many expositions in Vallauris. Like anything else the master created these works are also highly sought after by collectors.
Pablo Picasso was born in Malaga Spain in 1881. In 1895 he moved to Barcelona and enrolled in the Academy of Fine Arts. Picasso’s so called “periods” can be defined by date according to the women in his life for the most part. Picasso’s art was profoundly impacted by the women in his life, the love he had for them, and at other times the distain. In 1918, Picasso married Olga Khokhlova, a ballerina with Sergei Diaghilev's troupe, for whom Picasso was designing a ballet, Parade, in Rome. In 1927 Picasso met 17 year old Marie-Thérèse Walter and began a secret affair with her. Picasso carried on a long-standing affair with Walter and fathered a daughter, Maia, with her. After the liberation of Paris in 1944, Picasso began to keep company with a young art student, Françoise Gilot. The two eventually became lovers, and had two children together, Claude, and Paloma. Unique among Picasso's women, Gilot left Picasso in 1953, allegedly because of abusive treatment and infidelities. Picasso was not long in finding another lover, Jacqueline Roque, who worked at the Madoura Pottery workshop.
American Fine Art gallery represents a variety of other world renowned artists including: Andy Warhol, Joan Miro, Andrew Wyeth, LeRoy Neiman, Salvador Dali, Marc Chagall, Marcel Mouly, Thomas Pradzynski, and more. Visit our 12,000 sq. ft. showroom in Old Town Scottsdale, AZ or call one of our International Art Consultants today. Our website is offered only as a limited place to browse or refresh your memory and is not a reflection of our current inventory. If you need to learn more about collecting, pricing, value or any other art information your International Art Consultant will assist you and give you the one on one attention you deserve. We hope you find our website helpful and look forward to seeing you in Scottsdale soon.
