This selection explores the wide range of styles and techniques - from realism to cubism - that Picasso pioneered during his career. The piece talks about how his work has influenced the course of art history. Reproductions of some of his works accompany the text to illustrate his different artistic periods.

Picasso was born in 1881 in Spain. His father encouraged him to paint and draw. At 19, he left Spain for Paris, France where he pursued his career as an artist. His blue period reflected a time in his life when he felt alone and sad. Many of his paintings were painted with mostly blue colors. Blue is considered a sad color. These paintings were controversial - some people loved them...others thought they were too strange.

After Picasso met a girl named Fernande and fell in love, he began to paint using a happier color. This was called his Rose Period. Many of these paintings had circus people and their animals in them. Then Picasso developed Cubism - a style of painting in which the objects are broken into little cubes. This contrasted with the painting tradition of painting objects so that they would look real. Objects hardly look real in Picasso's Cubist paintings, but you can tell what they are.

Picasso's painting style continued to change as he grew older. He lived to be 92 years old. In addition to painting, Picasso made sculptures, prints, drawings, dishes and bowls. He even made costumes and scenery for plays.

Key Concepts to explore:

The way we express our imagination may change depending on our changing life circumstances.

Vocabulary:

encouraged - urged on, gave confidence

controversial - something causing disagreement monuments - buildings, statues, or special structures that are made to honor a person
style - a way of doing something originality - ability to create something new or unusual
Spelling:

the long /o/ sound

some words: cone, vote, spoke, froze, chose, coal, goal, soap, over

Story questions:

1. Why did Picasso paint with blue for awhile? (he was sad, lonely and hungry - blue is a sad color)

2. Why did Picasso's style change when he met the girl Fernande? (he fell in love with her and started painting happier things)

3. Why did many of Picasso's paintings look funny? (He moved around the eyes, noses and chins)

4. What does a cubist painting look like? (everything is broken up into little cubes)

5. How did Picasso change cubism over the years? (He made his paintings more colorful and flatter-looking)

Use the pictures in the text to see how these various styles appeared!

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