Picassos The Blinds man meal

Contexts1.INTRODUCTION..12.INFORMATION OF HIS LIFE...23.THE BLINDS MAN MEAL.34.CONCLUSION..45.BIBLIOGRAPHY..5

I .IntroductionIn this essay it will be analyzed the theme of blindness as it is reflected a serious issue in their artifacts. All the artists times to times refer to themes that are main problems of their society, because artists are very sensitive and want to make others people to be sensitive , too. One of these artists is Pablo Picasso, a man with unique talent in painting because with symbolic way can paint his own ideas in camva. Mostly we will see the theme of blindness in the work of Picasso The blinds man meal and we will analyze it thoroughly. But before we analyze his painting we should refer some piece of information about Picasso in general.

II. Main Bodya) Information of his lifePablo Picasso was a genius artist influenced by the development of modern and contemporary art and through his paintings implied many political, social and amorous messages[footnoteRef:1]. His works transcended abstraction and realism, Expressionism, Surrealism and Cubism. He was born in Malaga of Spain in 1881 and studied in Madrid where he became part of a group of modernist poets, artists and writers[footnoteRef:2]. [1: Karmel, PepePicasso and the Invention of Cubism. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003. pg 69.] [2: Rubin, William, ed.Pablo Picasso: A Retrospective. Exhibition catalogue.. New York: Museum of Modern Art, 1980,pg 78.]

As he is influenced by Modernism, his works include feelings and themes of darkness and desolation. Especially, during the period between 1901 to the middle of 1904, referred to as his Blue Period, depict themes of despair, blindness, poverty and loneliness[footnoteRef:3]. One of his most characteristic paintings of this period is The blinds man meal, where he used a range of blues to provide a lonely figure tired from his blindness to hold his meal[footnoteRef:4]. In the next chapter, analysis would be made for one of his most important paintings of his life. [3: Richardson, JohnA Life of Picasso. 2 vols.. New York: Random House, 199196,pg 88.] [4: Voorhies, James. "Pablo Picasso (18811973)". In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/pica/hd_pica.htm (October 2004)]

b) The blinds man mealThe blinds man meal was painted in Barcelona in 1903 and is his characteristic artifact of his Blue period[footnoteRef:5] with severe characteristics of mans figure, simple movements and forms and the blue color all over the painting. As we give more attention to the painting, we see a seated man at a thrifty meal,but why Picasso chose this scene? [5: " Picasso Pablo: The Blind Man's Meal" (50.188) InHeilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/50.188. (March 2010).]

According to his own description[footnoteRef:6], he painted the blind man in the table holding with his right hand a jug of wine and with his left hand bread. There are also in the table a white napkin and an empty bowl, very simple materials. But the mans figure has all the importance, he is very disappointed because of his blindness ,which makes him helpless facing all the difficult conditions of life and of course discrimination[footnoteRef:7]. [6: Olivier, FernandeLoving Picasso: The Private Journal of Fernande Olivier. Edited by Marilyn McCully. New York: Abrams, 2001,pg. 100.] [7: Olivier, FernandeLoving Picasso, pg.112.]

Furthermore, his slight figure with long thin hands is influenced by El Grecos way of painting figures[footnoteRef:8] combined with his blindness create a melancholic atmosphere and a query of this man's survival. It is important to Picasso's attempt to raise awareness of a particular era racism and social inequality prevailing. The highlights on his hands, neck, bread and napkin releasing the figure from the strict background[footnoteRef:9]. [8: Picasso Rose, Bernice B., and Bernard Ruiz, eds.Picasso: 200 Masterworks from 1898 to 1972. Exhibition catalogue.. Boston: Bullfinch Press, 2002.] [9: Belloli, Lucy "Lost Paintings Beneath Picasso's La Coiffure."Metropolitan Museum Journal, Vol. 40 (2005),pg.150.]

But, Picasso through this painting wants to comment not only blindness as weakness but humans suffering in general[footnoteRef:10]. The simple meal and wine remind of Christs figure and their symbolism, where bread is the body of Christ and the wine his blood according to the dogma of Orthodox faith.For some people, this painting may shows Picassos own situation, when he was in bad mood and very depressed,closely similar to the helpless of society. [10: ]

ConclusionAt last but not least, we can say that always the artist shows to his audience his own feelings and his society as well. Blindness and all the physical weaknesses were top themes for Modernism and they could not leave Picasso unmoved. One artist to his own range dealt with serious issues concerning human and coexistence with others. Blindness and its extension, racism and isolation experienced by the person are topics that Picasso felt the need to mention them.

BIBLIOGRAPHY1. Belloli, Lucy "Lost Paintings Beneath Picasso's La Coiffure."Metropolitan Museum Journal, Vol. 40 (2005).2. Karmel, PepePicasso and the Invention of Cubism. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003.3. Olivier, FernandeLoving Picasso: The Private Journal of Fernande Olivier. Edited by Marilyn McCully. New York: Abrams, 2001.4. Picasso Pablo: The Blind Man's Meal" (50.188) InHeilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/50.188. (March 2010).5. Picasso Rose, Bernice B., and Bernard Ruiz, eds.Picasso: 200 Masterworks from 1898 to 1972. Exhibition catalogue.. Boston: Bullfinch Press, 2002.6. Richardson, JohnA Life of Picasso. 2 vols.. New York: Random House, 199196.7. Rubin, William, ed.Pablo Picasso: A Retrospective. Exhibition catalogue.New York: Museum of Modern Art, 1980.8. Voorhies, James. "Pablo Picasso (18811973)". In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/pica/hd_pica.htm (October 2004).

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