06-01-2013, 11:51 AM
Earlier this year I went to an exhibition at the Courtauld Institute in London of some early works by Picasso. It was a very small exhibition of only some twenty odd painting all dating from one year, 1901. For me, one painting stood out; a self portrait painted when he was just 19 years old. When I entered the gallery it stood out and I could hardly take my eyes off it. With all the bravura and self confidence of a 19 year old who was absorbing influences and developing his own, it seemed to almost shout: "Look at me, this is I, Picasso"
You can see that it was painted very quickly, those long, rough brush strokes applied with such confidence. And those blazing eyes! Some people might hate Picasso, or not understand him, but no one can deny that he was innovative and influential throughout the whole of his long life and that modern art would not be the same without him.
You can see that it was painted very quickly, those long, rough brush strokes applied with such confidence. And those blazing eyes! Some people might hate Picasso, or not understand him, but no one can deny that he was innovative and influential throughout the whole of his long life and that modern art would not be the same without him.