Analysis Of The Picasso Museum Of Malaga

Malaga is a colorful city full of life and culture. It is of no surprise that the Picasso Museum of Malaga is too. I had to opportunity to visit this museum last year, and without a doubt it, it is one of my favorites. The building’s architecture, just like the museum’s website mentions, is very representative of Andalusian architecture of the 16th century (Fig. 1). It contains Renaissance and Moorish detailing (Museo Picasso Malaga), which makes it look fairly neat, geometrical, and open. The inside of the museum has an tidy feel to it, as well (Fig. 2). It is well lit by both natural and artificial lighting and has neutral colors covering both its walls and floors. Many museums remind most people of churches or libraries (Writing About Art

The fact that the pieces are arranged chronologically makes it easier to understand them, because when “seen as a group, the paintings tend to inform one another” (Writing About Art 15). All rooms demonstrate how Picasso’s art evolved throughout the years. I also learned that he did not start from the abstract -for what he is widely known- right away; rather, his technique and use of different materials oscillated with time. Let’s take, for instance, “Olga Khokhlova in Mantilla” and “Jacqueline Sentada”. Both are portraits of women Picasso once loved, and surprisingly are completely different, if not opposite. “Olga Khoklova in Mantilla” (Fig. 4) was executed with oil on canvas in 1917 (Museo Picasso Malaga). This realistic piece is a detailed portrait that has a somewhat grayish tone -intense use of whites and shading. There exists some contrast between the red on the top of the mantilla and the white and greenish of the walls, as well as between the darks and lights. Overall it is a piece that inspires a gloomy sensation. Additionally, very delicate and subtle use of line. Picasso’s geometry in this piece is balanced and the eye does not wander around trying to make sense of the image. On the contrary, the lines of the wall and the mantilla create pleasant shapes for the

The intense use of bright colors, such as yellow, red, green, and blues, makes the painting look more vibrant than “Olga in Mantilla,” but not necessarily more realistic. The contrast between Jacqueline and the background is very dramatic and appealing. It is not easy to make sense of Jacqueline’s face or position, but because of the dark colors of her face and her serious features we can interpret that she is not a joyful individual. Picasso insists in the use of geometric shapes and abstract features, which I assume are highly inspired by cubism. However, the use of intense geometry is a bit harsh on the eye. Finally, the negative shape of this painting is equally as interesting as the painting