Pablo Picasso: A Life from Beginning to End

by Hourly History

Pablo Picasso, born on October 25, 1881, in Málaga, Spain, was one of the twentieth century’s most prolific and successful artists. A natural-born prodigy, he began painting at the age of two and never stopped until his death at the age of ninety-one.

From a young age, Picasso oozed defiance against formal authority. This was reflected not only in his personal life, which was a tangle of mistresses and wives, but especially in his art. His aim was to recreate reality and change the viewers’ preconceived thinking. In his own words, Pablo Picasso painted “objects as I think them, not as I see them.”

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Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, Ebooks, Art, Art History

40 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 12, 2020

About the author

At Hourly History, we focus on publishing history books that are concise, straightforward and take no longer than one hour to read.

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Reviews

[Labijose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unas breves “pinceladas” sobre la vida y obra de este monstruo del arte. Genio y figura, aunque su vida siempre estuvo salpicada de escándalos y, muy posiblemente, abusos a sus varias esposas y amantes. Es lo que suele tener ser un genio, que la cabeza no siempre está encima de los hombros.

No conocía demasiado de su vida y obra, así que esta brevísima biografía me ha servido para ponerme un poco al día. Picasso probó todos los estilos, y, no hay que negarle que fue un innovador, amén de revolucionario. Tuvo la valentía de aguantar en el París ocupado por los nazis, cuando casi todo su círculo emigró a ambientes más saludables. Como muchos genios, en las diversas escuelas de arte por las que pasó no le fue demasiado bien. Lo suyo era la inspiración callejera y bohemia del París de principios del siglo XX. Y, económicamente no le fue mal, poseía una mansión de más de 20 habitaciones, y era de los pocos que se podía permitir pasear en coche. Malagueño de nacimiento, y parisino de adopción, dejó un inmenso legado en forma de pinturas, esculturas, cerámicas, y todo lo que pasó por sus prodigiosas manos. Ahí esta el “Gernika”, que es tan sólo la punta del iceberg.

Lo dicho, genio y figura. Con tantas luces como sombras, como corresponde a personajes de esta magnitud. Recomendable su lectura si sólo deseas saber lo más elemental de una vida plagada de matices.

[Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

swift summary of an artist’s life

I wanted an overview of Picasso’s life but not one that focused on where he was when or who he was with when. I wanted a brief discussion of his art and how it progressed from decade to decade. So, yes I read about his many relationships with women, where he was certainly over the top promiscuous (though it’s also true his heart was broken early by the death of his young love to cancer) yet these women became the subjects of many of his works of art. The artistic side is covered succinctly and this was what I wanted to gain an understanding of. A brief but beneficial biography that deals with his life and art 🖼️ 🎨

[Udit Nair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hourly History always nudges me to read more about the concerned subject. This was very interesting read to say the least. Probably also the fact that I dont know a lot about pablo picasso made it more worthwhile.

[Young Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The world today doesn’t make sense, so why should I paint pictures that do?” —Pablo Picasso

Sounds like his art works had the purpose of books. They reflected the world through the author’s mind’/ ment’ality, and they made the viewers think:
(Hourly History, "Pablo Picasso," Kindle Ed., 2020, p. 1)
...He didn’t want the viewer to see; he wanted the viewer to think...Cubism poses questions and challenges the viewer to find answers.

I chose this book to learn how a genius brain survived the horrific world wars of the 20th century. And as I moved through the early pages I found this book to be a very good work on the author's part as it is written in clear lines for easy understanding in a very eloquent way.

(Kindle Ed., p. 44)
...Like other child prodigies, his destiny seemed to have been decided at birth. He once boasted, “At the age of 12, I drew like Raphael.” Picasso never doubted his own genius.

The book tells the man’s personality and the very “cause” of that.

(Ibid., p. 3)
If Pablo Picasso led an unusual life, it began with his birth on October 25, 1881, in Málaga, Spain. The baby boy did not appear to be breathing, and his horrified parents believed him to be dead. Then, his uncle approached and blew smoke in his face. This ignited a torrent of screams from the indignant baby. Perhaps, through his art, he never did stop screaming. Picasso was quickly baptized and given the awe-inspiring name of Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso. It was a mouthful, but Pablo Picasso, the most influential artist of the twentieth century, would certainly live up to it. The name for which he would become internationally known, Picasso, actually came from his mother, María Picasso y López, and can be traced back to the Liguria region in north-western Italy.

I wonder if Picasso himself really remembered his full name, lol. We can see his childhood and his parents' high expectation from the young boy. They kind of spoiled him.

Anyways, the limit for geniuses is not their lack of ability:
(Ibid., p. 6)
Around the same time, José arranged for a small local showing of Picasso’s work. There were a few sales, but many potential buyers walked away when they learned the artist was barely a teenager. One reviewer, however, declared that “if he continues in the courageous and mature manner, there is no doubt that he has days of glory and a brilliant future ahead of him.” Picasso’s ego was stroked...

It is the world that cannot catch up to their visions, and I wouldn't wanna call it "our" world unless it changes:
(Ibid., p. 25)
...When they returned to Paris, their landlord charged them 50 francs to cover the cost of paint splatters. Amused, Picasso later said, “What a fool. He could have sold the whole wall for a fortune.”

(Ibid., p. 24)
...Picasso was always eager to expand his art. Picasso did not publicly exhibit his Cubist work for several years. Most of his paintings were kept in his studio, where only a few friends could view this new work. Even his friends were appalled at this new art; they didn’t know what to make of it. Picasso knew the public wasn’t ready for this type of innovation.

He did have the quality of a contributor to the mankind, not only a receiver like most of us. So what has he really left behind to the world?

(Ibid., p. 26)
August of 1914 saw the outbreak of World War I. A legal citizen of Spain, Picasso was not required to serve in the French army, but many of his artist friends either joined up or left Paris. When seen on the streets in civilian clothes looking fit and healthy, he was frequently mocked by passers-by as a coward. Again, his emotions leaned toward depression, and things would soon become even worse.

You know, Adolf Hitler, not a German citizen back then, joined up the German Army and fought for the country he would one day rule himself. Not that Hitler was a nice man or a great leader after all he did to our world, but just that was, and still is the way to serve the public and rise among us in our society. Picasso was meant to be a brilliant "artist," nothing more nothing less. Compared to Leonardo da Vinci, I wonder, what his art has really contributed to our world.

(Ibid., p. 6)
At 14, he was years younger than most of the other students, but despite that, the larger-than-life Picasso was not daunted. He largely viewed his teachers as talentless mediocracies and rejected their lessons. During the late nineteenth century, Spain was embracing the idea of anarchy. Barcelona at the time was a hotbed of anarchistic thinking. Open revolution against authority was frequent, and violence happened regularly. One anarchist even threw a bomb that killed several people. Young Picasso soon became an ardent supporter of the anarchists, as were many others in the artistic community.

...sigh...that’s why he was a mere artist after all despite his vision and insight that could someday see through the world.

I do understand how he felt though:
(Ibid., p. 7)
True to his nature, however, Picasso quickly lost interest in his classes at the Royal Academy. He failed to attend classes. Instead, he once again roamed the streets for inspiration. His family, who had invested considerable money in his education, was furious and refused to support him any longer. He soon found himself living in a room without heat. Unable to survive in Madrid on his own, a dejected Picasso returned to Barcelona.

(Ibid., p. 8)
“He had a very strong personality, appealing, and way ahead of the others who were all five or six years older. He grasped everything very quickly; paid no apparent attention to what the professors were saying.” —Manuel Pallarès, artist and lifelong friend of Picasso

Again, that's why he was just an artist. What did he believe, he was better than other great artists like da Vinci? If he focused on the professors, he could have learned if things were right or wrong to upgrade himself covering other fields too. He could have contributed so much more with his brilliant talent in more pr’actical ways like da Vinci and many others did.

He got through what the most other geniuses got through as well:
(Ibid., pp. 8-9)
...The countryside provided him with an opportunity for outdoor activities, such as chopping wood and hiking, and he enjoyed total immersion in the rural, peasant life of Horta. Living in the country also gave the 17-year-old time to think as he wandered the many mountain trails. The paintings Picasso created there of the world around him constituted a final break with his formal education. He was no longer painting according to anyone else’s rules; instead, he was slowly defining his own style...To support himself, he did a few commercial posters and magazine illustrations.

But, the boy had no patience due to the way his "freaked-out" parents raised him after that first fear of losing him at his birth. What a shitty manner to other Human Beings he exhibited: So rude.

Like I mentioned in another book review for da Vinci, there have been many geniuses, yet only some "fortunate" are known to the world:
(Ibid., pp. 17-18)
...A former circus clown, Clovis Savigot, opened an art gallery and began exhibiting Picasso’s paintings. This was the first time he had been officially exhibited in a gallery, and it was through this gallery that Picasso met the woman who would change his career...It can be speculated that without the sponsorship of Gertrud Stein, Picasso might not have been as well-known as he became.

Seems like he didn't share the com-pass'ion or sæm-/ sym-path'y with the world and people, but only with his "extravagantly" wealthy dealers:
(Ibid., p. 28)
World War I definitely caused problems for Picasso’s heretofore thriving career. He did not do paintings about the war, but it influenced him to make changes in his style. Now, he felt the need, whether for financial or personal reasons, to shift back to a more classical style. His new dealer was a Frenchman rather than German. People thought Picasso was through with Cubism, but he never actually abandoned it. He merely shifted between Neoclassicism, Surrealism, and Cubism; just when his audience thought they had him pinned down, he switched to another style.

(Ibid., pp. 30-32)
During the late 1920s and early 1930s, most of the world sank into a deep financial depression. Not so Picasso. During the twentieth century’s worse financial breakdown, he bought himself an eighteenth-century chateau a few miles outside of Paris. It had 24 rooms and its own chapel. Wherever he went, he drove a car. He’d wanted to be a wealthy artist and had achieved his goals in his thirties. Olga was less thrilled, and in 1935, after years of watching their relationship deteriorate, she took young Paulo and left. The truth was Picasso himself had left the marriage years earlier. Never one to believe in fidelity, he had fallen in love with a certain Marie-Thérèse Walter. He had first met the tall blonde with the long, flowing hair back in 1927 when she was 17 years old. She was sweet, sensual, and passive, and the two were soon were engaged in an affair. Picasso rented her an apartment near his own. Since he couldn’t hide her forever, he made her one of his models. By 1935, Picasso’s relationship with Marie-Thérèse could no longer be kept a secret; she was pregnant. Whether this was the reason Olga left him isn’t known, but it must have been a contributing factor. Due to French law, Picasso and Olga never officially divorced. In order to do so, he would have to divide his property evenly with Olga, and that was something he wouldn’t consider. Picasso and Marie-Thérèse never officially became a couple because he was still married, but he visited her and their daughter Maya often. As usually happened, any disruptions in life left Picasso despondent. He tried to lose himself in his work, including another illustrated book. In this setting, the middle-aged Picasso met the 27-year-old photographer and painter Dora Maar. Picasso didn’t waste any time. The presence of his girlfriend in Paris did not stop him from carrying on a relationship with Dora on the side.

So “immoral” he really was. If he wouldn't legally take a good care of his family why made a big unhappy one in the first place. From his childhood he showed no trace of patience.

It appears to be a good research book as well as a good biography:
(Ibid., pp. 32-34)
On April 26, 1937, Franco’s German and Italian allies dropped bombs on the small village of Guernica. The bombs were followed by incendiaries and uncontrollable fires. Within hours, most of Guernica was burned to the grounds. The death toll was high. The event was reported to the world by a Times reporter, George Steer. His words shocked the world. This was one of the first air attacks upon innocent civilians instead of for military purposes—a prelude to World War II which was yet to come. Picasso learned of the attack four days later and began an initial sketch immediately. He used a massive canvas and only colors of black, white, and gray. It was finished in a little more than a month. The major bit of imagery in the painting is a bull, which is a symbol of strength in Spain. It is difficult to say whether the bull is intended to portray the victims or the viciousness of war. The bull is surrounded by hopelessness and destruction. The story goes that sometime later, a Nazi officer showed Picasso a photograph of the painting, asking, “Did you do this?” Picasso’s reply was, “No. You did.” Picasso used one of his original sketches for Guernica for another painting done in 1937 called The Weeping Woman. The painting shows a woman in the throes of unfathomable grief. Picasso also wrote poetry demonizing the Spanish dictator in a book entitled The Dream and Lie of Franco.

Now his emotion reacted to what happened in his homeland, and, still personal feeling towards his motherland though, it must have been the turning point, the very first time he started reflecting the world in his works.

And I take back what I said about the uselessness of his art:
(Ibid., p. 38)
...Modern collectors value the significance of Picasso’s ceramic phase as it presents a rare view of his playful side. In addition, the ceramics were functional. His bowls and other creations could be used on a daily basis by ordinary people...

(Ibid., pp. 34-35)
...Uncertain of the fate of Paris, Picasso and Dora rented rooms in the beach town of Royan, where they remained for a year. In the interim, the Germans were invading France and reached its capital. With Paris officially under occupation, Picasso returned when many others were fleeing the city. He was offered sanctuary elsewhere but refused. He would spend the remainder of the war in Paris. Picasso’s old friend, the poet Max Jacob, was taken to a concentration camp, where he died within months. His body was returned to Paris, and Picasso attended the funeral. He was risking censure by the occupying Nazi forces but didn’t care...The Nazis knew his value and offered him special concessions for his cooperation. Picasso refused. He dealt with the food shortages and lack of heat himself rather than dealing with the Nazis. When Germany’s ambassador to France offered him coal in exchange for supporting the Third Reich, Picasso refused. “A Spaniard is never cold,” he retorted...During these years, Picasso was forbidden to exhibit his art, which was considered too degenerate under Hitler’s new art policies. He kept on working but was constantly running out of supplies. This new dilemma forced him to seek some innovative new approaches. Instead of focusing on his paintings, he began to work on sculptures. He created sculptures using any material he could lay his hands on—a broken piece of metal, an old cigar box, a bike handle. His well-known Head of a Bull was made of pieces of bicycle material. By 1944, the Allies were ready to liberate Paris, and Picasso found himself working amid daily street fighting...Picasso stood as a symbol of defiance. His refusal to cooperate was known to all. As with previous wars, the end of World War II would bring changes to art, and Picasso would be at the forefront of those changes.

Hmm, was that his "Germanic" Cubism or fame that prevented him from being shot or sent to the camp? Or the German occupation wasn't as bad as we have learned? Anyways, now he was the allies' hero. This chapter was the reason for me to pick up the book; I just wanted to know how he got through the war and the enemy occupation in France.

(Ibid., pp. 36-37)
...Picasso joined the Communist Party after Paris was liberated...The fact that the Communists had been on the winning side made them more acceptable than any other ideology. It wasn’t about politics; to Picasso, it was about justice.

He was a brilliant artist, nothing more, nothing less: This is the danger of our modern democracy.

And lastly about his last marriage to “young” Jacqueline Roque when the man was in his 70s: I've seen his pictures taken around that year, and he was a normal-looking “old” man...who was rich and famous. Of course she wanted him to keep working hard on his art projects that would bring fortune to her. This kind of marriage...and the family tragedy after his death...

He left a screwed up family that does nothing for our world but fighting over his fortune; I wouldn't call this any "legacy."

Good thing's that he wasn't a King like some examples in history whose marriages to women of their grandchildren’s generations would screw up the royal families along with their countries.

(Ibid., p. 44)
Picasso himself was a man of many contradictions. The man of peace who reveled in bullfights...

He wasn't a man of peace. He only cared about war when it affected him and his memories (his identity).

(Ibid., p. 45)
Throughout his life, Pablo Picasso sacrificed relationships for his art. His granddaughter Marina Picasso said, “His brilliant oeuvre demanded human sacrifices. He drove everyone who got near him to despair and engulfed them.” Still, one can imagine that he had no regrets.

He was a selfish Human Being, period.

There are only a handful of typos to be edited.

(Ibid., p. 9)
At this time, The Four Cats, or the Els Quatre Gats, was a tavern that served as a home and meeting place for Barcelona’s Modernistas...

Redundant: Els Quatre Gats = The Four Cats

(Ibid., p. 10)
...The owner of one of the galleries selling his art proclaimed, “Nobody wants anything but Picassos!”

Correction: ...Picasso's!”

(Ibid., p. 19)
...Gertrude Stein collected both artists avidly. Their style wasn’t that dissimilar, although while Matisse concentrated on wild colors, Picasso focused on form.

Correction: ...Stein collected both the artists' [works] avidly...

It is a fun storytelling book with good quality as a complete work.

[Claury Báez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Parafraseando la vida de Picasso, era un hombre familiar, independiente y libre, aventurero, comunista, creativo e inquieto. Con un sueño y dispuesto a luchar por el.

Tuvo una vida bohemia, conoció grandes artistas y tras mucho esfuerzo encontró su estilo: siempre le gustó jugar con los estilos modernos y tradicionales, dándoles su toque personal.

Sus pinturas transmiten lo horrible de lo bello, la realidad de la naturaleza humana. No siempre fue considerado un genio, hubo una época en la que pagaba su renta con pinturas y vivía con artistas compartiendo pequeños catres.

Era un nómada, no se sentía cómodo en un mismo lugar por mucho tiempo, eso incluía viviendas y personas, pues a sus 80 y tantos aún era todo un romeo, mantenía múltiples relaciones con jovencitas.

Ni el más grandioso de los artistas está completamente satisfecho con su obra, es por esto que para 1902 quemó todas las pinturas que tenía en la época. Nunca sintió completamente feliz de sus logros, pues su fuero interno le pedía más.

Ha sido todo un desafío para mí leerlo, pues, no es mi estilo de lectura, sin embargo me encantó conocer al humano fuera del genio.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just perfect

It narrates Picasso's life and milestones in a easy-to-follow way. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who's interested in Picasso's artwork.

[Bonnie Gleckler Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much more to know of the man.

Pablo Picasso, what an interesting person. At a very early age (2 years old), he began his life’s work. We can only be grateful that his father (specifically) was able to allow Pablo the freedom to practice his art (what would actually drive art in new directions constantly). Living to the age of 91, Picasso touched just about all genre of art, from sketching, to painting, to sculpturing, to lithography, etc. His painting still sale for a great deal of money, and some of his most famous works are on display in museums throughout the world. One of his most famous sculptures remain on display in Daley Plaza in downtown Chicago. It is hard to imagine that anyone who even touches an art piece might not have heard of Picasso. This short analogy of Picasso’s life have given me much more insight into the man and his works. I even when to far as to GOOGLE many of the paintings, and works mentioned herein. Kudos!!!!!

[Patsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy and interesting read.

I didn't really know anything about Picasso before reading this. The thing I can identify with him personally, is his tendency to try many new mediums. I share this same curiosity about different art forms as well.
Some might think he was self-indulgent and perhaps self-centered, but I think he just loved what he did and was fortunate enough to make a living at it. But art seemed to be his first and deepest love above people. He did seem to love and have great artistic influence on all of his children and grandchildren, though, which is quite a legacy to leave behind!

[jgerardcodygmail.com · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with most of these hourly history an introduction at best, but some inspire to read more about the person

[Antonio · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is part of the Hourly history collection (https://hourlyhistory.com).

These books are mostly about historical events or historical persons.

This one is about Pablo Picasso, one of the greatest painter and artists ever lived and has all the important information about the remarkable man in a very concise way (you can read it within an hour). His work includes over 13,000 paintings, 100,000 engravings, 34,000 illustrations, 1,228 sculptures, and 2,880 works in ceramics. He founded new style (cubism) and new like colage,

This is my assessment of this book Pablo Picasso, by Hourly history according to my 8 criteria:
1. Related to practice - 3 stars
2. It prevails important - 5 stars
3. I agree with the read - 5 stars
4. not difficult to read (as for non-English native) - 4 stars
5. Too long (more than 500 pages) - short and concise (150-200 pages) - 5 stars
6. Boring - every sentence is interesting - 4 stars
7. Learning opportunity - 5 stars
8. Dry and uninspired style of writing - Smooth style with humouristic and fun parts - 3 stars


Total 4.25 stars


Pablo Picasso used his art as a medium to express social change.

Although he went through many styles, frequently at the same time, Picasso is best known for Cubism. With bold colors and odd shapes, Cubism poses questions and challenges the viewer to find answers.

Picasso was not only one of the twentieth century’s most famous artists, but he was also one of the most prolific. His work includes over 13,000 paintings, 100,000 engravings, 34,000 illustrations, 1,228 sculptures, and 2,880 works in ceramics.

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” —Pablo Picasso

At this time, The Four Cats, or the Els Quatre Gats, was a tavern that served as a home and meeting place for Barcelona’s Modernistas. It served cheap food and drinks and held exhibits and shows. It was a mecca for Barcelona’s art world. Within the span of a few months, Picasso had drawn 150 portraits of The Four Cats and its patrons.

Still, many of the Modernist artists were struggling, and life in Paris was no different for Picasso. Once again, he lived in a shabby, cold room. At times, he was so desperate for warmth that he burned his own paintings in the fireplace.

“I paint objects as I think them, not as I see them.” —Pablo Picasso

“Art is a lie that makes us realize the truth.” —Pablo Picasso

“I paint objects as I think them, not as I see them.”

When Picasso was working on Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, it consumed so much of his energy that he took frequent breaks to paint still lives, such as Bowl with Fruit and Still Lives with Bananas.

Picasso’s goal was to highlight the very differences between reality and art. He felt that when viewed from different angles, different realities would be reflected in his paintings. In that respect, he considered art superior to nature. Cubism could be constructed and deconstructed, like a puzzle.

In 1913, Picasso and Marcelle moved to a rented house in the suburbs. When they returned to Paris, their landlord charged them 50 francs to cover the cost of paint splatters. Amused, Picasso later said, “What a fool. He could have sold the whole wall for a fortune.”

“Art is an instrument in the war against the enemy.” —Pablo Picasso

The one predictable element in Picasso’s art is the unpredictable.

“Who sees the human face correctly: the photographer, the mirror, or the painter?” —Pablo Picasso

The story goes that sometime later, a Nazi officer showed Picasso a photograph of the painting Guernica), asking, “Did you do this?” Picasso’s reply was, “No. You did.”

“The world today doesn’t make sense, so why should I paint pictures that do?” —Pablo Picasso

During his lifetime and in death, Picasso remained the twentieth century’s most influential artist. His style was constantly changing and progressing, and he was always looking for a new medium, such as ceramics, lithography, and watercolors.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is what I confidently knew about Picasso before reading this book.
(1) He painted Guernica
(2) He lived most of his life in Paris
(3) He was known as somewhat of a womanizer

So of course I learned a lot.

The two biggest things that struck me about him:

(1) He was unbelievably prolific. According to my calculations, Picasso's life added up to 33,403 days (from October 25, 1881 to April 8, 1973) but he produced more than 50,000 artworks. So he created more than one artwork for each day he lived. That's incredibly impressive as it indicate his tremendous creative drive and that he never got burned out.

(2) He had zero fear of exploring new territory. According to Wikipedia, in 1935 at age 53, he dropped everything and decided to devote himself fully to poetry and singing. He wasn't too good at either and he soon went back to painting and sculpture but it shows how he was always seeking out new things. It reminds me of Miles Davis.

So overall we get a picture that Picasso was someone who was lucky enough to be able to do exactly what he wanted for his entire life. He clearly didn't create his art for the money and it seems he didn't do it for the prestige. I think he was only able to work with such freedom and abandon because he was doing it for himself and he didn't fear criticism or rejection (Partly because of his supreme self-confidence when he was young and then his wealth and fame when he was older). He was just having fun and doing whatever caught his fancy.

Now this book is obviously very short, but I think it actually did a good job of providing context for his career and even keeping us updated on his chaotic personal life.

My only criticism is that there are no pictures (probably for copyright reasons) so I spent about an hour online after finishing the book watching videos and looking at pictures which gave me a much better idea of what his art actually looked like, especially the famous pieces pieces which have sold for record prices.

[Dale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in 2020 by Hourly History.

Despite me having talked extensively about Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) in my recent review of an e-book about Francisco Franco, I am not an expert on Picasso, but I know way more than the average person. He has some paintings that I really like, but I am mostly not a fan.

This short biography hit the spot in that it covered the details of his life without focusing too much on one particular part. This covered his 70+ year career in an even manner and included his personal life well.

The real weakness of this e-book was the fact that they couldn't license his paintings and insert them into the book. But, since I read this on my cell phone it was pretty easy to switch to the browser and search the piece of art that was being discussed and take a look at it.

I wasn't much of a fan of Picasso as a person before I read this book and my impression was not changed one bit.

I rate this e-book 4 stars out of 5.

https://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2022...

[Jerry Jares · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you can believe it, Pablo was declared an art prodigy at the age of 2! Obviously, that went to his head because he didn't seem to think he could learn from anyone else. He spent more time out of school than in. Picasso comes across as a thoroughly unlikeable character, having an ego with no bounds. He was an atheist and a communist (because he saw it as the only workable antithesis to Fascism). Of the absolutely thousands of his paintings, Picasso stars in an incredible number.

One interesting insight was the fact that Picasso rarely took a commission; he assumed people would pay for whatever he painted. His granddaughter admitted that Picasso was difficult to be around because he 'demanded human sacrifices' (used people and overwhelmed them with his needs). His work includes over 13,000 paintings, 100,000 engravings,34,000 illustrations, 1228 sculptures, and 2880 ceramics. He left 45,000 pieces of art for his extended family to fight over, after his death.

[Neera Kapahi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a fan of Picasso’s work and this book gives us an excellent overview of his life and achievements. He showed talent and brilliance from an early age. I am familiar with some of his paintings done in a realistic Academic style when he was a teenager. Paintings such as “The first communion” are very impressive.

The book writes about his evolvement as an artist. He broke all the rules and went through various phases to Cubism. His relationships with the various women is mentioned briefly. This is important because many are featured in his work.

[Autumn Kearney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Growing up in a Chicago burb, my mom took me a couple of times a year to The Art Institute. For those who don't know, it's an art museum containing thousands of works.

They had at least one, if not more, Picasso’s there. It/they always scared me to go past it/them. Picasso gave me the willies. He still does.

Now that I read this compact but detailed book I understand him. But I still don't like his work.

[D. Thrush · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t know much about Picasso. He was a child prodigy painting from the age of 2 and was extremely prolific in all types of art. He married several times and had many mistresses and children. If not for the patronage of Gertrude Stein, he may not have reached the level of success he did in his lifetime. This 49-page bio covers a lot of ground and gives a good overview of his life.

[Jonathon Deringer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick Read

If you have an hour or so and want to get a quick idea of Picasso’s life, take a look. As people, we are rarely what others perceive. The read will give you a decent baseline of the person behind Picasso’s art. And perhaps, bring you to understand that even though his contribution is celebrated, he was just a person working hard at a craft.

[DavidO · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good but

This book covers his life fairly well and talks about his various styles of artwork. What I don't understand is why there are no images of his artwork. His earliest stuff is almost certainly out of copyright so it should be available for free to include in the book. So the book ends up talking about Picasso's artwork in an abstract way with no examples to look at.

[Rubin Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Portrait of a visionary

This short yet well researched Biography of Pablo Picasso is filled with his accomplishments, setbacks, and challenges
A deep passionate artist and his journey well told

[Ed Maxwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short and Sweet

I had just visited the Rosengart Museum in Lucerne that has a whole floor devoted to Angelina Rosengart's Picasso collection. I spent the hour after the exhibit reading this wonderful summary of his life.

[Irene O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great short biography

Really enjoyed this. Short and to the point covering all the foibles of this great artist. His confidence and self belief shine through his life. He must have been frustrating for those close to him but we can only be concerned with his genius.

[Linda Goss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pablo Picasso

I was very interested to find out more about Picasso because my sister-in-law' aunt used to date him! She ended up with a few of his sketches he left behind. He is the only artist I know of who paints in the abstract style he uses.

[Ayoub Amare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very inspirational book about Pablo Picasso’s life, it gives you a good depth about how he creates art and were it all began for Picasso. I learned a lot of new things about him by this book, i recommend it to everyone interested in his work!

[Shashidhar Sastry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential reading for any art lover. It is about a seminal period of modern western art, and its towering figure. There's a lot to learn about how to 'see' modern art too. It's an education.

[Isaac]

Cool

[Thomas Sarc · Rating 4 out of 5]

ok

Could have been longer. Why sixteen words required WHAT stupis asinine rule is that? U want a review, it should be any number of words the reviewer wants

[Jennifer Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Factually Interesting

I learned a ton but felt like ChatGPT could have told me the same thing. Very dry and Wikipedia like.

[Thomas Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a very interesting read, Not so long ago I visited Malaga Picasso's birthplace. The Picasso museum there was very interesting and I wanted to know more about the great man