Pablo Picasso is considered one of the most iconic artists of all time. The Old Guitarist is perhaps one of his most famous paintings from the Blue Period (1901 – 1904). The painting is expressive of the monochromatic style in which Picasso painted mainly in shades of blue and blue-green.

At the time of this painting in 1903, Picasso was very poor. His poverty gave him unique and emotional insights. It was also during this time that one of Picasso’s good friends had committed suicide and his feelings of sadness, melancholy and emptiness are expressed in his artwork.

Somber in color and subject matter, the painting we are about to look closer at is reminiscent of Francisco de Goya’s theatrical style.

The Old Guitarist – Composition Analysis

The Old Guitarist depicts an older haggard man on the streets of Barcelona, Spain. The composition expertly frames the mood and isolation in the painting.

In his early years, Picasso received formal artistic training from his father in figure drawing and oil painting, and expertly applies the composition rules of thirds. The rules of thirds dictates that if you divide any composition into thirds vertically and horizontally and then place the key elements of your image along these lines or at the junction the arrangement will be more dynamic.

Thorough composition, paint, subject matter and intuition, an uncomfortable disconnect is presented to the viewer of the painting.

In the middle of the composition, The Guitarists right arm and hand seem to suspend in mid air. Elongated fingers curve towards his right leg which wraps him in a cocoon like state. At the top right of the composition the fingers are elegantly positioned in action and elevated a bit higher then the shoulders as if reaching beyond the confinement of the space.

The angular composition behind him (which is later prevalent in Picasso’s Cubism phase) seem to close in on the Guitarist compressing him into a tiny space that feels airless. Dramatic dark’s and lights further accent the composition as the final touch of melancholy.

The Guitar – The Most Valued Possession

The guitar in The Old Guitarist is a curiosity in the painting. Centered in the composition, the empty eyes of the Guitarist (expressing his blindness) align vertically at the junction of the third with his nose and mouth downward and then sweeping upward from the elbow to the delicate hands which bring your eyes to the guitar. The monochromatic style takes a slight turn as the guitar is painted a warmer color.

The guitar is the bright spot in the painting which may symbolize the most important possession the man has.

Homeless street musicians in Barcelona relied on a small income that could be earned from their music. The guitar being the most valued possession of the Old Guitarist and the music being his escape.

Was the guitar painted by Picasso in The Old Guitarist from a long line of famous guitar markers in Barcelona – starting with Juan Estruch Rosell in the late 19th century?

We will never know the whole story behind the life of The Old Guitarist, however Picasso in all his genius presents a scene that evokes emotions and impacts generations.

Interested in more Picasso articles? You might like to see these pictures of  Picasso in his studio in the 1960’s.

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Figurative and Wildlife Art

Captivated by the alchemy of Nature’s colors and inspired by the Animal Kingdom, Italian painter Roberto Rizzo creates a breadth of unique artworks. The focus of his interest ranges from rock painting and wildlife art, to fine jewels.

After classical studies he attended the IED (European Institute of Design) in Milan and worked as an illustrator for various publishing houses.

Since 1996, part of his artistic activity has been dedicated to rock painting art and in 2004, he published the manual ‘Sassi Dipinti’ which has received a remarkable editorial success.

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My work is essentially in the expressionist vein but characterised by a visual language that has over the years emerged from stark expressionist mannerisms to constitute a wider variety of brushwork, tonalities and textures.

I have learnt to give a wide berth to the medium, allowing the paint and the canvas/paper itself to determine the trajectory of the work as it progresses, sometimes to the point of all but altering the colour scheme, the mood of the painting or the focal points.

I have always seen myself as a student and I will keep doing so until I die. This is not modesty. On the contrary, I believe it is a struggle to keep one’s spirit childlike enough never to fossilize into staid routines, or a mere going through the motions.

The excitement of dabbing colour onto paper must never die. This is one of the very few things I know to be true, absolutely.

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Dan Knepper describes his work as; “realism in watercolor or oil as well as some very fun cartoon work that often ends up in children’s hospitals.”

The watercolors often depict children with famous works of art. .. sometimes poking fun at the art. For instance ‘Conversation Starter’ has a child smiling before her work on the easel. On closer inspection her brush is clean and the work on the easel is the $4.5 million ‘Mecca’ by Jean Michael Basquiat. Though the painting is an exact copy of his work… taken out of context, everyone who sees the painting assumes it to be the work of the child; Which Dan Knepper thinks says something about how we value art in context.

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