How To Understand A Picasso

MY BOOK OF ESSAYS IS OUT NOW!

SOURCES AND FURTHER READING:

Rudolf Arnheim, “Picasso's Night Fishing at Antibes” The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism -- Vol. 22, No. 2 (Winter, 1963), pp. 165-167

Douglas N. Morgan, “Picasso's People: A Lesson in Making Sense” The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism Vol. 22, No. 2 (Winter, 1963), pp. 167-171

Nina Corazzo, “Picasso's 'Night Fishing at Antibes': A New Source” The Burlington Magazine
Vol. 132, No. 1043 (Feb., 1990), pp. 99-101

Mark Rosenthal, “Picasso's Night Fishing at Antibes: A Meditation on Death” The Art Bulletin Vol. 65, No. 4 (Dec., 1983), pp. 649-658

Albert Boime, “Picasso's "Night Fishing at Antibes": One More Try” The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism Vol. 29, No. 2 (Winter, 1970), pp. 223-226

Timothy Anglin Burgard, “Picasso's Night Fishing at Antibes: Autobiography, Apocalypse, and the Spanish Civil War” The Art Bulletin Vol. 68, No. 4 (Dec., 1986), pp. 657-672

Lawrence D. Steefel, Jr., “Body Imagery in Picasso's "Night Fishing at Antibes" Art Journal
Vol. 25, No. 4 (Summer, 1966), pp. 356-363+376

[martinsrozenbergs]

Literally highlighting parts of the painting was so helpful. I was blind, now I see.

[JAFOpty]

it's interesting how there are painting out there being sold for $40 at a pawnshop, then years later someone finds out it's a Picasso, and suddenly it's worth millions. It is the same painting nobody cared about before, but now it is a masterpiece. It's all so subjective.

[Vunomic]

What Picasso meant in that quote "It takes me 4 years to paint like Rafael, but a lifetime to paint like a child" is something all artist of different genres and disciplines tried to achieve as their final ultimate goal. Let me elaborate on what that means :

When you start in your art, whether it be creating and drawing, or making music, or dancing, we etc... You have no directions but then you learn skills in your craft. Then you get to be better and more complex.

At this stage your music now have all these different sounds melodies chords Bass, etc.. so you reaching to be at the peak of your complexity. Culmination of everything you learn. This is my equivalent of realism art, highly detailed textures, shades, etc...

But then you get beyond that, and what is beyond that? I want you to imagine Thelonius Monk at his peak playing jazz FREESTYLE and what you hear is perfect. Not in the sense of most complex melodies, but the other opposite! Now what you hear is really simple notes and melodies BUT it's played at the right time. Just enough for you to feel full emotions of the music without unnecessary complexity. Basically maximizing effectiveness doing the least. Like Jimi Hendrix just strike one chord strumming but let it reverberate perfectly and sonically before interweaving into the next note. All while freestyling. This peak level is what I also call IN THE ZONE. Or the x factor. When an artist at his mastery playing perfectly beautiful music by maximizing the complexity of emotions but using the simplest of technique (or so it seems)

What I'm trying to say is a child is pure, it doesn't have biased, it's free, so the emotion is raw. Also because a child is still inexperience it will be simple. And that is the ultimate form of art, expression.

Art like Life comes full circle, so the challenge of a Master is not complexity. Is to be able to show his skills and it's complexity but able to bring it back to that child like wonder. To capture the essence of a child pure emotion and simplicity but actually was a work of a Master.

I still don't know if I make any sense haha, but that's my 2cents on it. Being an artist myself.

[gideonjones]

"Maybe this is why the boat floats in a weird no-man's-land..."
me frantically looking back up at the picture: "There's a boat in there?!"

[SuperJelbo]

There aren't that many youtubers that criticize paintings, you honestly stand out.

[KeshArt]

I would like say that all the people in the comments are right about what this piece means, both the one who says it's deep, intellectual and the one who says it's just two dudes fishing. A painting is a work of ones life and his experiences, it's representation. So what the artist truly wanted to say can never be on point without him actually saying it to the point. So what we "see" is what we want to see, the meaning, is a reflection of your own life. It can be profound or simple, disturbing or pleasant, it can be anything. It will not be same as someone else because everyone is unique with their experiences, so one doesn't need to argue with others perspective just because it doesn't match yours. In the end, what's the TRUE meaning behind this painting?..it's the one you give it. :)

[abdullahkhanabd]

I'm sure even Picasso would be surprised that his painting became so meaningful 😂

[alexsdemkin]

'Hey look at this funny painting I drew of fishermen!-Picasso probably.

[Rissy]

I really love Picasso's blue period. It's so emotional and raw, the paintings can be overwhelming. It's depression painted beautifully...

[Baii]

In those 8 minutes and 10 seconds I learned more about Pablo Picasso than in months of art class. Excellent content, keep on with what you're doing! Thank you.

[ladyioan]

your appreciation for art is infectious

[jonathansodacan]

This is so cool! I never take the time to usually dissect a Picaso painting because I'm usually put off by the weird, warped shapes, but this helps me appreciate him more

[SeanKobiSandoval]

These 5 steps for Image Analysis is the same process I am taught in art academy on how to read an image. Quality content on this channel

[narinpratap]

Loved it! In particular, the first 36 seconds are absolutely brilliant. They almost draw you into the video and make you want to stick around for more.

[dandy-lions]

I'm disappointed to see all of the dismissive comments, especially given that this channel is dedicated to the sort of intellectualizing being derided. Regardless of whether you agree or not with his conclusions, the way he thinks about art is interesting and worthy of consideration. The guide he sets out applies to any work of art, beautiful or ugly, pretentious or humble, ancient or modern.

Having said that, I personally drew slightly different conclusions based on the work and I'd love to hear what the Nerdwriter himself has to say. Foremost for me is the tension between the intimate and mundane subject matter and the physical scale of the work. As you said, this work is huge, on the scale of history paintings like "Death of General Wolfe". But I saw the subject matter as intimate and pedestrian, thus setting up this tension between form and content. Combined with the anecdote about how Picasso himself witnessed such scenes while strolling along the river, and it appears to me like Picasso is trying to capture the mundane at the same level as prior artists (and himself cf. Guernica) tried to capture the epic. Perhaps it is a last gasp of normality and calm before all that is blown up by tanks and antiaircraft guns as WWII starts.

Also, could you provide references to the research you used for the work? I'd love to read what scholars in the field have to say about the work as well.

[laki]

If Picasso was alive, he would probably say, "what is this guy rambling on about? I was drunk at the time." Still great video though.

[gloriahanes]

Picasso's instinct was to paint as a child for a child is innocent and unknowing of the world and its surroundings. To reach deep within to his child-like state was to express the innocence and purity of a child untouched by worry, grief, solitude, and hardship. The free flowing lines in a carefree motion was exemplary of his later works. His abstracts hold a special meaning delighting many a child and those with a child-like instinct, his paintings represent what is pure and simple in life yet gives the viewer a glimpse into his childhood.

[xanthe]

I get bored easily, but as soon as I start one of your videos, I have to watch it through. I've learned so much. Thanks for that.

[SBKWaffles]

For some reason, I always feel as though all those hidden messages are actually just a coincidence, and the works people always describe are really something else... But I'm probably just crazy

[aaryag]

Okay this was an amazing video. I know nothing about art and paintings and you made me want to learn more.More people need to see this