A precocious(precoz) draftsman(delineante, dibujante), Picasso was admitted to the advanced classes at
the Royal Academy of Art in Barcelona at 15. After 1900 he spent much time
in Paris, remaining(permaneciendo) there from 1904 to 1947, when he moved(trasladó) to the South of
France. His power is revealed(revelado) in his very early works, some of which were
influenced by Toulouse-Lautrec (such as Old Woman, 1901; Philadelphia
Mus. of Art).
Picasso's artistic production is usually described in terms of a series
of overlapping(superpuestos) periods. In his “blue period” (1901-4) he depicted(representó)
the world
of the poor(pobres). Predominantly in tones of blue, these melancholy paintings (such
as(tales como) The Old Guitarist, 1903; Art Inst. of Chicago) are among(entre) the most
popular art works of the century. Canvases(lienzos) from Picasso's “rose period”
(1905-6) are characterized by a lighter(más claro) palette and greater lyricism, with
subject matter(tema principal) often drawn from circus life(vida
del circo). Picasso's Parisian studio
attracted the major figures(figuras
más representativas) of the avant-garde(vanguardia)
at this time(de
aquella época), including
Matisse, Braque, Apollinaire, and Gertrude Stein. He had already produced
numerous engravings(grabados) of great power and began his work in sculpture during
these years. |