Picasso was recognized as an artistic prodigy at an early age. These works illustrate his technical capability at that stage of his career. However, he was not satisfied with the limited possibilities in such a traditional mode of representation. His constant, incessant striving for new means of expression is the primary lesson of Picasso’s art. Shortly after moving to Paris from Barcelona, Picasso began to produce works that were suffused in blue.
This particular pigment is effective in conveying a sombre tone. The psychological trigger for these depressing paintings was the suicide of Picasso’s friend Casagemas. The Blue Period work is quite sentimental, but we must keep in mind that Picasso was still in his late teens, away from home for the first time, and living in very poor conditions.