Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon is often lauded to be Picasso’s masterpiece. The title of the painting directly translates to “The Young Ladies of Avignon”. The art provides a reflection of Picasso’s expertise and talent in painting. Pablo Picasso was born to a Spanish family on October 25th, 1881. The artist’s father had been an art instructor. Such a resource provided Picasso with the foundation he needed to prime his talent. Upon the death of his sister, Picasso’s family moved to Barcelona from Malaga. His first commitment as a student of art had been to the school of realism. Notably, Picasso borrowed the artistic design from his father. Still, it was not until the move to Paris that the artist’s career began to flourish. The Blue Period marked Picasso’s transition into a full-fledged and independent artist. The creation of Les Demoiselles d’Avignon is considered to be a milestone in the history of painting as it represents a break from the traditional painting designs that had been practised before the introduction of the art. The transition from illusion to a crude reality facilitated the projection of Picasso’s genius.

Observations Involving Les Demoiselles d’Avignon

Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker made several observations regarding Les Demoiselles d’Avignon. The scholars attribute the origins of the painting to Paris. They make an allusion to the origins of the artist by declaring his Spanish background. The title “The Young Ladies of Avignon” refers back to a street in Barcelona. According to the experts, the painting expresses a brothel setting. The painting marked the beginning of the Cubist movement. The deviation assumed by Picasso in the painting set the stage for future art. Some of the missing concepts in the painting, which were previously indispensable in the development of art, included the linear perspective, the modulation of light, and the shattering of illusion.

Les Demoiselles d’Avignon was a derivative of Henri Matisse’s Bonheur de Vivre. Unlike Matisse, Picasso had hoped to demonstrate the crudeness of the prostitutes in the brothel. To emphasize the pervasive influence of women in the painting, he chose to omit the presence of the male individual. The space that had previously defined the development of art was omitted in Picasso’s iconic piece. Thus, the curtains that defined the exclusivity of each individual in the painting were pressed up against the figures. Despite Picasso’s attempt to avoid illusion, the element of shadow and highlighting impede such a goal. The incorporation of black masks found in the two characters on the extreme ends provides a reflection of the French imposition. All of the frameworks integrated into Les Demoiselles d’Avignon were intended to provide insights into what the future of art entailed. The planeness of the painting facilitated the development of a new language that was used to represent modern culture in society.

Connections Between the Painting and the Reading of the Week

The Les Demoiselles d’Avignon emphasizes the element of specificity in artistic developments. Each artistic movement was subject to distinctive features that acted as metrics of identity. Cubism was a deviation from traditional painting methods. The emphasis on crude lines and the absence of bright lighting was in contravention of previous painting principles, which demanded the reinforcement of illusion in painting. The painting is also important since it seeks to define the origins of the Cubist movement.