Art Comparison

When considering these two works of art by Pablo Picasso, it draws gleaming attention to the talent of this legendary artist. The ability to be phenomenal art not only one style of art but to be well rounded in multiple artistic styles justifies why Picasso is a well known name in the realm of art. Portrait of Olga in the Armchair and Seated Woman Holding a Fan have similarities that are evident at first glance such as the positioning of the woman's arm. These oil canvases have very apparent differences also; the most obvious difference being the style of the two works. In my personal opinion, I am drawn more to the Seated Woman Holding a Fan for selfish reasons. These two Picasso works have special, individual characteristics that make them

The style of Portrait of Olga in the Armchair takes on a idealism feel. Olga’s hair is placed in a tasteful updo and also takes on very beautiful facial features such as shaped, feminine eyebrows, a long face with prominent cheekbones, and a slim nose. This concept of perfection can be related back to the Greeks who had criterias for their idea of perfection such as a youthful, athletic, and beautiful appearance, restrained emotion, an anatomically correct representation of male figures, and lifelike qualities depicted in their movements known as contrapposto. (Understanding Visual Artforms in Our World, Anderson and Carson, pg.11). Even though these factors pertain to males, the idea of perfection pertains to men and woman in 1917 when Portrait of Olga in the Armchair was made. Seated Woman Holding a Fan has a different way to portray beauty. Picasso uses an abstract approach to this painting. In this style, it makes you look harder to interpret what the artist wanted you to see by using shaped and chunks of color. The level of realism is lowered due to lack of shading and great contrast between large shapes. Picasso's goal for this piece is different than Portrait of Olga in the Armchair. In the abstract piece, the artist's role was to create an extraordinary version of ordinary an object. In the idealism piece, Picasso finds a way to create a tangible form to feelings and

I enjoy the hard contrast of colors to show light shining on the woman's arm. I also like using my imagination to make out parts of the painting that are not shown clear such as the race of the woman or the fabric of her dress. In looking at the specific factors that we take into consideration when trying to fully appreciate art, this piece speaks to me by making art enjoyable and allowing me to use my imagination to decipher the content. (https://elearn.sinclair.edu/d2l/le/content/51782/viewContent/1803590/View, Observing and Responding - Aesthetics - What Is Art?). I also enjoy the cubistic style of the painting that Picasso is known for. The thick brush strokes of colors create a image stylistically similar to Paul Cézanna´s Mont Sainte-Victoire that pictures a mountain made of these same thick blocks of color. (Understanding Visual Artforms in Our World, Anderson and Carson, pg.21). The unique display of shapes and colors serves as the reasons that I prefer the Seated Woman Holding a Fan over Portrait of Olga in the