Color and Grief: Picasso’s Blue Period

Written by: Zeenat Hatami

Edited by: Preeti Shaji and Morgan Diep

It’s well known that the celebrated artist Pablo Picasso endured through long periods of major depression, a struggle that deeply influenced his work. His emotional turmoil is particularly evident in his renowned Blue Period (1901-1904), which was inspired by both his emotional and financial destitution. Following the suicide of his close friend Carlos Casagemas, Pablo Piccaso’s artwork adopted a monochromatic palette of different shades of blue. Their forms were elongated, adding a haunting sense to the paintings. The themes of his artwork during this period were solemn, and dark, and portrayed scenes of misery and misfortune. It was common for monochromatic blue to represent melancholy and despair in Spain and France, which may suggest that Picasso took inspiration from other symbolist artists. He also directed his attention to individuals who were misfortunate, including those poverty stricken, the hungry, and the sick. Ultimately, Picasso channeled his own feelings of misery, sorrow and grief for his close friend into his art during the Blue Period, creating artwork that was macabre in its own right.

References:

Masterworks Fine Art Gallery. (2014). Pablo Picasso Blue Period. Masterworksfineart.com. https://www.masterworksfineart.com/artists/pablo-picasso/blue-period

Picasso, P. (1903). Old Guitarist (Chicago, Illinois.) [Oil on Panel]. Art Institute of Chicago.

Picasso, P. (1903). The Tragedy (Washington, DC.) [Oil on Panel]. National Gallery of Art.