Artwork of the week: Barceloneta Beach (1896)

Pablo Picasso's Barceloneta Beach (1896) depicts an early period in the artist's life, when he lived in the city of Barcelona. This piece reflects Picasso's creative evolution, from his apprenticeship years to his connection with the Catalan artistic avant-garde and the development of his personal style. 

As a young painter, Picasso lived in several port cities, including A Coruña and Barcelona, which inspired him to capture the maritime atmosphere in his creations. Specifically, this work depicts a panoramic view of Barcelona's maritime strip, from the Marina mountain range in the background to the beaches of the Mar Bella and the Bogatell.

Picasso demonstrates his ability to organize the space on the canvas and uses perspective to highlight the difference between the beach and the sea.  An interesting element is the presence of a mule in the foreground, which brings balance and complements the scene. The yellow tones used in this work break with the traditional tones of Spanish landscape painting, connecting aesthetically with the artistic group of the Colla del Safrà, whose members were known for their predilection for yellowish and orange tones in their representations.

As Picasso's artistic production progresses, we can observe an evolution towards the simplification of forms and a loss of strength in the lines. The artist adopts a rapid, loose and agile brushstroke that reveals a new way of capturing the landscape. Later works, such as La calle de la Riera de San Juan from the artist's studio (1900), show a freer conception in which he opted for spots of color instead of minute details. These explorations would lead Picasso to find new ways of plastic expression.

Sources:

Museu Picasso Barcelona:

Museu Picasso Barcelona. Exposición Paisajes de Barcelona. https://museupicassobcn.cat/index.php/actualitat/exposicio/paisatges-de-barcelona#obras