Book Summary: : Picasso Biography for Beginners,

Picasso had always impressed me,

not only of his paintings, which I admit I am not a huge fan of all of them but because of his freedom and courage of expressing himself and his continuous efforts producing amazing arts nonstop until the last days of his life...

In this book, there are rumors of him mistreating his women and other negative personality traits. A lot of these I didn't include in my summary as it seems subjective and not found on facts.

Hence, the summary below reflects on his accomplishments and few hints to learn how he was able to achieve greatness.

Before we start, let us clear the issue of the number of wives Picasso had.  Picasso had only two wives (Olga and Jacqueline) and four children by three women. He befriended other women though and hence the confusion, this page goes into details regarding this aspect of Picasso's life:
(http://www.sapergalleries.com/PicassoWomen.html)

Summary:

Started painting in his teenage years all the way to his nineties.
Affected by Van Cough, Gogan and Paul Cezanne.
Mixed styles and originality of art from different regions such as Greek, French, Japanese and African.

Was known for demanding realization for his arts.
His paintings always had distinct personalities, a body of a woman can be attractive in one view and horrible in another.

The early years: 1881 - 1900

Born in Spain to an artist dad.
The story of his birth. At midnight, as the nurse gave him to his father turning to his mother to comfort her, his uncle, the doctor, blew cigar smoke in his face and almost suffocated him. The cigar smoke is portrayed as the last push Picasso needed to get him going.
In general, Picasso saw birth as a narrow escape out of mother's womb.
This story may have affected his mixed feeling to women.

During his childhood, Picasso was spoiled by many women, from his mother, Grandmother, two ants and several housemaids which made him crave attention.

By age ten he was helping his father finishing his painting.
1891 sister died which significantly affected him.

Legend had it that his dad declared his son had outdone him and will never paint again.

1896 at 15 years of age, Picasso had owned a studio in Barcelona.
Picasso moved to Madrid and qualified entry into The Royal Academy Of Arts.
A year later he made his first exhibition in Parisian style cafe and Cabaret calling himself in a portrait "The King."

Paris the struggling Artist: 1900 to 1907:

First modern Painting "les Demoiselle D'avignon" (1906 to 1907)

When he was 19, he left to Paris (1900).
The first destination was Montmartre where Spanish artist settled.  (http://www.aparisguide.com/montmartre/)

Observed modern artists like Degas, Renoir, and Van Gogh.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Degas)
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre-Auguste_Renoir)
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_van_Gogh)

Went to Madrid and Barcelona before returning to Paris in 1901.

The first year was called the "Blue and Rose Period."

The Blue period: 1901 1904

Affected by his failing exhibition and not mastering French.
The old guitarist and "frugal meal" 1904 (bony blind man with wife)

(pic 1/2)

He befriended a poet, Max Jacob and slept in his house, burned drawings to stay warm.
1904 moved his studio to apartment building
Met and fall in love with Fernandes Olivier and was happy despite financial issues
His paintings were affected by circus performers and other Normandie artist and fascinated by gypsies.

The Rose period: 

Hosts more earthy colors, such as "Boy leading a horse."
1905 started to be famous, had serious critics because of his ever-changing style, but art dealers still bought his art due to demand.
For example, in 1907, his painting " lamole d'avignon" was perceived to be revolutionary with 5 nude women.
(https://www.masterworksfineart.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/picasso5775_1.jpg)

Some think this style resembles old arts from 1500bc; others felt that this resembles how Picasso felt about women in general. Other artists looked negatively on this style of painting and thought it was just crazy.

Cubism and international renowned: 1907 to 1917.

Seen as assualt on conventional art.
Broke with Fernandez Olivier and hooked up with Eva Gouel (also known as Marcelle Humbert)
This coincides with a splitting of his art from realism to art that is based on perspective.
Affected by Cezanne.

Then he befriended an artist "George Brock" and started making cubes of Painting.
Produced "Still-Life with Chair Caning, 1912"

pic 3

"The guitar" 1912 to 1913, made up of pieces of wall, scrap papers, and metals

pic 4

He did a sculpture of Fernandes Olivier, 1909 where her head was divided into sections.

pic 5

In 1911 at 30 years of age, lost interest in Olivier, called his new love ma Jolie, Eva Gouel, fled with her out of Fernandez sight.

In 1914 world war 1 started, his friends like Brock were listed in the army. He grew distrustful of artists like Wan Greece. Eva had tuberculosis, died 1914, he began to be gloomy until met new love 26-year-old Jean Cocteau,
His documenter thought that he was brave in art coward in life.
He met with Russian ballet dancer and painted her as she requested with "no tricks" gesturing he may be entering into new way of life.

Politics of war and arts: 1917 to 1945.

Painted "Guernica" during the war in Spain.

pic 6

Refused to leave German-occupied France.
Married the Ballet Dancer who gave him his first son.
Lionized by high society and people of the theatres,
Hooked up with Marie-Thérèse Walter, giving a birth to his first daughter.

1920th and 1930 generation of serialism:

Best identified with Salvador Dali's painting dreamlike landscape."

Pic 7

But it is a mistake to think of Picasso as Serialist as he went back and forth from Naturalist to Cubist to Serialist.

1927 met Mary Walter 17 year and was the inspiration for many of his painting in the years between 1920 and 1930z

pic 8

Seated Woman, 1937

Pic 9

Painted bullfights and could be seen as an expression of himself.
His mistresses Dormer and Marry Terrasse fought over him. Joined communism in 1944 but didn't paint till 1937 when Spanish civil war started.

Painted "Guernica" reflecting the Spain war.

1943 "Death Head."

pic 10

New life, New art (1946 1973):
Had 2 children from Françoise Gilot and mistreated her at times, turned to pottery and sculptures. Then married his last wife Jacqueline Roque 1961 and became the caretaker of his legend.


While in this studio, from August 17 through December 30, 1957, he worked on an extensive series of fifty-eight canvases in near isolation, allowing few visitors to see his work. Forty-four of these canvases were directly inspired by Diego Velázquez’s masterpiece Las Meninas (ca. 1656).

He remained very active until the last days of his life but during the last years he isolated himself more and to paint ed several portraits depicting his tired self.

It seems nothing after 1944 shows the boldness of his earlier work, but his sculptures after 1944 may rank as one of his highest achievement.

The secret of Picasso's success:

Good promotion and willingness to be documented.
Made virtue out of his defects
Communicated his enthusiasm very well
Produced arts rapidly
His courage