Pablo Picasso's 10 Most Famous Artworks

Weeping Woman, a poignant piece by Picasso from 1937, mirrors the anguish depicted in his larger work, Guernica, which portrays the Spanish Civil War's brutal impact. This particular painting captures the despair of a woman mourning her deceased child, a motif drawn from the aforementioned mural. The artwork, responding to Guernica's bombing by Nazi forces, employs Dora Maar's figure—both an artist and Picasso's companion, who documented Guernica’s creation—as the model for this heart-wrenching depiction of sorrow and loss.

A landmark painting by Picasso, Les Demoiselles d’Avignon dramatically departed from traditional approaches to composition and perspective. Featuring five nude figures with influences from Iberian sculpture and African masks, the painting challenges conventional spatial constructions, using fragmented planes to create a dynamic, unsettling effect. This piece, revealed in Picasso's Paris studio, signifies a monumental shift in modern art, hinting at the burgeoning Cubist movement.

Guernica, painted by Picasso in 1937, is a monumental work that stands as a powerful statement against war. Displayed in Madrid's Museo Reina Sofía, the painting uses a stark monochrome palette to depict the horrors of the bombing of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. Through its portrayal of anguished figures, including a gored horse, a bull, screaming women, and a dismembered soldier, the painting conveys the chaos and suffering caused by violence. Symbolic elements, such as a light bulb resembling an eye and a flower growing from a soldier's sword, making the artwork one of the most influential anti-war works in art history.

At just 21, Picasso, grappling with a friend's suicide, dove into the sombre tones which defined his Blue Period. La Vie, painted in 1903, stands as this phase's pinnacle, showcasing themes of despair, isolation, and societal estrangement through a limited, cool palette. The painting, rich in symbolism, has been interpreted as exploring themes from sacred and profane love to the life cycle and the struggles of the working classes.

Picasso's The Old Guitarist, a pivotal piece from his Blue Period, encapsulates his empathy for the impoverished, influenced by his own financial struggles. This work features an elongated, melancholic figure, reflecting Picasso's fascination with the human condition. It also nods to the stylised forms of El Greco, embedding the painting within a broader Spanish artistic heritage. Through its stark, monochromatic blue tones, Picasso delves into themes of poverty, isolation, and human suffering, making a profound statement on the societal margins of early 20th century Spain.

In Figures At The Seaside, Picasso explores the dual nature of desire, intertwining ferocity and tenderness within the intimate embrace of two figures. This painting, influenced by his relationship with Dora Maar, depicts the figures with exaggerated, voracious mouths and intertwined bodies, symbolising intense longing and unity with nature. Their sculptural forms blend seamlessly with the coastal landscape, highlighted by golden sunlight and a whimsical touch of domesticity through a beach hut in the background, reflecting a complex portrayal of human passion and its integration with the natural world.

Le Rêve (The Dream) is a captivating portrait of Marie-Thérèse Walter, Picasso's lover, painted in 1932. In this painting, Picasso transforms the classical theme of a seated figure with vibrant colours and voluptuous curves, showcasing his idiosyncratic approach to portraiture. This work reflects both the artist's deep affection for Marie-Thérèse and his innovative exploration of form and colour.

Picasso's painting Jacqueline with Flowers is a vibrant homage to his second wife, Jacqueline Roque. This work, part of a larger series, masterfully blends the tenderness of expressive imagery with the dynamic abstraction of Cubism. The painting showcases a geometric deconstruction of Jacqueline's figure, alongside a bouquet of delicate roses, using bold lines and rich, contrasting colours to evoke a sense of vibrancy and movement. This work, which is part of a larger series dedicated to Jacqueline, reveals not only Picasso's profound stylistic evolution but also the complex dynamics of their relationship, marked by intense devotion, control and emotional abuse.

At The Lapin Agile, a seminal work by Picasso from 1905, showcases himself as a Harlequin alongside his lover Germaine Pichot, the muse and tragic figure linked to his friend Casagemas' suicide. Commissioned for the Montmartre cabaret Le Lapin Agile by Frédé Gérard, who is depicted playing guitar, this painting symbolises the bohemian spirit of Paris during that era. It remained the sole permanent exhibition of Picasso's work in Paris at the cabaret from 1905 until its 1912 sale to a German collector.

In Girl with a Mandolin, Picasso delves into Analytical Cubism, deconstructing and reassembling the subject into geometric forms, portraying multiple perspectives within a muted, almost monochromatic palette. This method diverges from traditional Western art's focus on central focal points and realistic colouration, favouring an abstract, unified surface that challenges conventional representation. Picasso's innovative use of shape and colour foregrounds the mandolin through its distinct oval silhouette, seamlessly blending the figure with its fragmented backdrop, illustrating Cubism's radical rethinking of form and space.