The Old Guitarist in Terms of Its Art Movement Attributes - Article Example

The Old Guitarist Name: Course: Institution: Date: The Old Guitarist Introduction One of the roles of art in the society is to provide artist with a platform upon which they can express their emotions and perceptions of the society. The Old Guitarist, by Pablo Picasso is an example of an artwork used to express sadness and anger towards the way of life of the poor in the society. Picasso uses texture, colour, space, form, and value in expressing these emotions. The main objective of this paper is to assess The Old Guitarist in terms of its art movement attributes. In addition, the paper will also provide evidence on how the art movement during this period affected Picasso in creating this work. The Old Guitarist and the art movement The Old Guitarist is a painting by Pablo Picasso. Its making began in late 1903 and ended in early 1904. The painting was done following the death of Picasso’s closest friend Casagemas (Gedo 1980, p. 29). During this period, modernism was the movement that defined artwork in this society. Through modernism, the artists were able to express their views on the society especially on matters of governance, poverty, and love. Modernism was considered a revolutionary movement in visual art became its main desire was to challenge and reject any school of thought advocating for traditional ideologies (Cirlots 1972, p. 140). It was through the rejection of hidden meanings in visual art that artists, such as Picasso, were able to express their concerns, the misfortunes of the poor and the divide that existed in their society. Modernism was therefore a new way by which artists perceived the world (Gedo 1980, p. 32). While basing his idea on modernism, Picasso uses the The Old Guitarist, to sympathize and depict the miseries of the ill, the outcasts, and the poor in the society. The painting depicts an old man with white hair who sits holding a guitar with a wrinkled face and leaning on wall. His clothes are worn out. From an analytical perspective, it is possible to note that the old man is sad and lonely as is with most of the poor people in the society (Cirlots 1972, p. 140). He clings to his guitar, which he considered as his only friend in the world. The torn clothes are also symbolic of the individualistic society that was emerging in Europe following the desire to acquire wealth at the expense of the poor. It is notable that from the look on the old man’s face there is a sense of hopelessness in the future (Gedo 1980, p. 35). Picasso uses different elements of art that were applicable in the early 20th century. These elements help in expressing the emotions identified in the painting. Colour is one of the elements in the painting. The painting is mostly blue except for the brown guitar, the white hair and the yellowish skin of the old man (Berger 1965, p. 44). Blue expresses the depression that the old man feels because of abject poverty. The guitar is brown in colour and it brings out the contrast, as it is the focal point in the painting. The old man represents poor in the society who is left who nothing but a possession that cannot bring him any economic advantage (Fabre 1881, p. 268). Despite this knowledge of the worthless nature of the property, the guitar, the poor man still holds on to it as his only possession and close friend in the world. Space is also an element in the painting used to portray sadness (Cirlots 1972, p. 142). The painting takes about two thirds of the canvas. This was a common trend in the period of modernism since artists used the bigger paintings to express their feelings. For example in The Old Guitarist, Picasso uses space to espouse the wrinkles and the worn out clothes worn by the old man. This made it possible for the viewers to understand their world in relation to the divide between the rich and the poor (Alfred & Barr 1966, p. 48). Picasso also uses texture in expression his feelings. In the painting, the old man is depicted as bony and this makes him look weak and unhealthy. The role of such texture in the painting is to add more emotions to the picture (Alfred & Barr 1966, p. 48). Modernism was a movement that was in opposition to anything considered traditional in visual art. The Old Guitarist distorts the traditional technique in the creation of visual art. From the painting, it is possible to notice the reclining nature of the old man’s upper torso while his lower torso is cross-legged. The old man who is largely bent and sightless is a solitary figure who is blinded by his poverty (Cirlots 1972, p. 144). At the time when this painting was made one of the schools of thought that defined modernism was symbolist movement. This movement comprised of some blind characters that in the view of Picasso possessed an inner vision that allowed them to perceive their society in more clear vision. This piece of artwork is not only inspired by the creative nature of Picasso’s artwork but also by the prevailing circumstances in the environments, which could only be expressed through visual art (Blunt & Pool 1962, p. 6). Modernism and its effects of Picasso The popularity of modernism as a school of thought in early 20th century was inspired by a technical examination in conjunction with historical research in art. Picasso’s style in the production of the Old Guitarist was inspired by two earlier compositions (Cirlots 1972, p. 145). The Man with the Blue Guitar, a poem by Wallace Steven provided emphasis in the work of Picasso through the assertion that the role of art was to help the society in understanding the true nature of things. In one of the excerpts of the poem, the poet says that the person in possession of the blue guitar cannot play things as they appear. Instead, the guitar must be used to change things as they appear (Johnson 1974, p. 59). From the poem, it is possible to understand the guitar and the guitarist as a metaphor. The metaphor argues that it is important for an individual to immerse himself in his own grief in order to realize any form of healing. Grief was therefore an appropriate subject that could be express in art. In the development of The Old Guitarist, Picasso uses grief to express his grief following the death of his friend. He is saddened by the demise of his friend who, in his view, succumbed to the hard life resulting from abject poverty (Cirlots 1972, p. 146). While embracing different elements of modernism in expressing ideas in his painting, The Old Guitarist is considered as one of the unique works of art in the blue period works of Picasso. This painting is a relation of the spiritual transportation of the protagonist using his creative efforts instead of mere hopeless passivity (Berger 1965, p. 44). This feature enhances the effective nature of the painting. Like his blindness, the creative nature of the guitarist encloses his to some form of protective nest. To ensure that he communicates different laments related to the self-containment nature of the old man, Picasso squeezes him in a pictorial format that is relatively small to hold him (Alfred & Barr 1966, p. 29). From the painting, it is possible to note that in an event that the guitarist unfolds his legs of attempts to raise his head, he would bust the pictorial boundaries that hold him. However, the old man is obedient enough to remain forever locked in his cocoon and this conveys the message that he operates on compressed energy and that he is relatively in bondage (Johnson 1974, p. 56). During the blue period, Picasso used paintings to express his disappointment with the society considering that elements such as poverty, anguish and frustration led his close friend into suicide (Berger 1965, p. 45). The weak nature of the guitarist in the painting brings with it a theme. The old man appears closer to death and his guitar acts like the preserver of life. Despite the hopeless nature of his life, the guitar and the music, that it generates offers the only hope. In a way, it is possible to argue that his guitar is his source of livelihood (Blunt & Pool 1962, p. 6). However, the poor nature of his life as depicted by Picasso is an indication that he has been unsuccessful with the guitar. An in-depth view of The Old Guitarist reveals another presence behind the musician (Blunt & Pool 1962, p. 6). It is possible to notice the ghostly view of a previous composition on the canvas. During the blue period, Picasso was faced with poverty. The economic necessity made it important for him to reuse canvases in the production of new paintings (Blunt & Pool 1962, p. 6). Conclusion . The Old Guitarist is 1903/1904 painting by Pablo Picasso The painting was inspired by the painful death of Picasso’s closest friend Casagemas. During this period, modernism was the movement that defined artwork in this society. Modernism emphasized on the rejection of hidden meanings in visual art that artists, such as Picasso, were able to express their concerns. Modernism was therefore a new way by which artists perceived the world. Picasso uses colour, space and texture to express the themes of poverty, sadness and hopelessness. References Alfred, H & Barr, J. r. 1966. Picasso: Fifty Years of His Art New York: New York University: Press, pp. 29, 48, Berger, John, 1965. The Success and Failure of Picasso. Har-mondsworth, Middlesex: England, pp. 43-44. Blunt, Anthony & Pool, Phoebe. 1962. Picasso: The Formative Years: A Study of His Sources. Greenwich: Connecticut, p. 6, Cirlots, Juan. 1972. Picasso: Birth of a Genius. Paul Elek Ltd: New York. pp. 140- 147. Fabre, Palau, Josep. 1981, Picasso: The Early Years, 1881-1907. Kenneth Lyons: New York, pp. 269-70. Gedo, M. M. 1980 Picasso-Art as Autobiography. Chicago University Press: Chicago, pp. 27-56. Johnson, R. W. 1974. Picasso's Old Guitarist and the Symbolist Sensibility, Artforum: New York , pp. 56-62 Read More

The guitar is brown in colour and it brings out the contrast, as it is the focal point in the painting. The old man represents poor in the society who is left who nothing but a possession that cannot bring him any economic advantage (Fabre 1881, p. 268). Despite this knowledge of the worthless nature of the property, the guitar, the poor man still holds on to it as his only possession and close friend in the world. Space is also an element in the painting used to portray sadness (Cirlots 1972, p. 142). The painting takes about two thirds of the canvas.

This was a common trend in the period of modernism since artists used the bigger paintings to express their feelings. For example in The Old Guitarist, Picasso uses space to espouse the wrinkles and the worn out clothes worn by the old man. This made it possible for the viewers to understand their world in relation to the divide between the rich and the poor (Alfred & Barr 1966, p. 48). Picasso also uses texture in expression his feelings. In the painting, the old man is depicted as bony and this makes him look weak and unhealthy.

The role of such texture in the painting is to add more emotions to the picture (Alfred & Barr 1966, p. 48). Modernism was a movement that was in opposition to anything considered traditional in visual art. The Old Guitarist distorts the traditional technique in the creation of visual art. From the painting, it is possible to notice the reclining nature of the old man’s upper torso while his lower torso is cross-legged. The old man who is largely bent and sightless is a solitary figure who is blinded by his poverty (Cirlots 1972, p. 144). At the time when this painting was made one of the schools of thought that defined modernism was symbolist movement.

This movement comprised of some blind characters that in the view of Picasso possessed an inner vision that allowed them to perceive their society in more clear vision. This piece of artwork is not only inspired by the creative nature of Picasso’s artwork but also by the prevailing circumstances in the environments, which could only be expressed through visual art (Blunt & Pool 1962, p. 6). Modernism and its effects of Picasso The popularity of modernism as a school of thought in early 20th century was inspired by a technical examination in conjunction with historical research in art.

Picasso’s style in the production of the Old Guitarist was inspired by two earlier compositions (Cirlots 1972, p. 145). The Man with the Blue Guitar, a poem by Wallace Steven provided emphasis in the work of Picasso through the assertion that the role of art was to help the society in understanding the true nature of things. In one of the excerpts of the poem, the poet says that the person in possession of the blue guitar cannot play things as they appear. Instead, the guitar must be used to change things as they appear (Johnson 1974, p. 59). From the poem, it is possible to understand the guitar and the guitarist as a metaphor.

The metaphor argues that it is important for an individual to immerse himself in his own grief in order to realize any form of healing. Grief was therefore an appropriate subject that could be express in art. In the development of The Old Guitarist, Picasso uses grief to express his grief following the death of his friend. He is saddened by the demise of his friend who, in his view, succumbed to the hard life resulting from abject poverty (Cirlots 1972, p. 146). While embracing different elements of modernism in expressing ideas in his painting, The Old Guitarist is considered as one of the unique works of art in the blue period works of Picasso.

This painting is a relation of the spiritual transportation of the protagonist using his creative efforts instead of mere hopeless passivity (Berger 1965, p. 44). This feature enhances the effective nature of the painting. Like his blindness, the creative nature of the guitarist encloses his to some form of protective nest. To ensure that he communicates different laments related to the self-containment nature of the old man, Picasso squeezes him in a pictorial format that is relatively small to hold him (Alfred & Barr 1966, p. 29).

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