The Old Guitarist 1903-04 by Pablo Picasso

The Old Guitarist 1903-04 by Pablo Picasso
Year: 1903-04 | Medium: Oil on panel | Location: Art Institute of Chicago

One of Pablo Picasso’s earlier and most famous works is The Old Guitarist, an oil on panel painting created from 1903 to 1904. The work shows an old, blind, haggard musician hunched over his guitar on the streets of Barcelona. Picasso was influenced by the movements of Modernism, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, and Symbolism at this time. He was also living poorly, during which his dear friend also committed suicide, which marked Picasso’s Blue Period.

One interesting fact about this famous painting is that, as X-rays have shown, 3 different figures are hidden behind the old guitarist. Today, viewers can marvel at this masterpiece at the Art Institute of Chicago.