Pablo Picasso’s self-portrait, Yo Picasso, is a significant piece of artwork painted in 1901 during the artist’s Blue Period. In this painting, Picasso depicts himself as a young man at the age of 19 with a sense of pride and confidence. He asserted his name “Picasso,” which he had chosen to use instead of Ruiz, his paternal name.
Throughout his career, Picasso became the most prominent and influential artist in the first half of 20th century. He contributed significantly to various art styles such as Cubism, collage, Symbolism and Surrealism. Additionally, he was influenced by other modes such as sculpture, drawing, printmaking and ceramics while incorporating African and primitive arts along with realism and neoclassicism.
Yo Picasso is an essential creation in Pablo’s vast collection because it marks an early period in which he began exploring different emotions through blue hues. This masterpiece provides insight into how the artist saw himself at a young age with an expression that reflected hopefulness for what was yet to come for him creatively.
