It’s the month we celebrate all things love and Valentines. This month we see red and pink in all the bouquets, women’s dresses, and heart-shaped boxes of candy down the aisles of the grocer. So naturally, we chose pink for February as it has been referred to as the color of love.
The Psychology of the Color Pink:
Pink is known to raise blood pressure, but unlike red, pink calms the mind. Due to this fact, it’s been noted that prisons used the color on the walls to calm the prisoners. In the home, throughout history, the paler versions frequently appear in children’s spaces, but are trending in other bedrooms and living areas today. In fact, Sherwin Williams made an earthy pink called (Redend Point SW9081), their color of the year in 2023.
Pink in Art:
Artists use the color in their compositions to express gentleness, femininity, or to create a sense of charm, mystery, and curiosity. One such artist known for utilizing pink was Pablo Picasso. The compositions he created utilizing an array of shades of pink became known as his “Rose Period.” During the Rose Period, he painted primarily circus performers.
Interesting Facts About the Color Pink:
- The color received the name “Pink” late in the 17th century after a flower named pink.
- Pink used to be the color associated with boys instead of girls.
- Today the color is associated with femininity, softness, sensitivity, kindness, love, girls, and motherhood (to name a few).
- Flamingos get their pink color from shrimp they eat.
- It’s considered an extra-spectral color—meaning you must mix other primary colors to get the shade of pink.
- It’s a color not found in the rainbow.
The Life of Pablo Picasso:
Pablo Ruiz Picasso was born October 25th, 1881, in Southern Spain. His original name, as noted on his birth certificate and baptism, contained over 21 words, as Spanish custom at the time was to add on ancestors and saints to the name of offspring. His love of painting derived from his father, who started instructing Pablo at the tender age of seven to sketch with a pencil. His father, being an art professor at a School of Fine Arts most of his life, stated that Pablo—by the age of thirteen—had already surpassed him in artistic skills. Pablo came from a middle-class family. He suffered great sadness when his sister Conchita died from diphtheria at the age of seven.
The Four Periods of Picasso’s Art:
- Blue Period: 1901-1904: In this period his works had a bluish wash over them and depicted sad subjects that appeared gaunt, such as homeless prostitutes and beggars on the streets of Barcelona and Paris.
- Rose Period: 1904-1906: The Rose Period is said to have been influenced by a bohemian artist he’d fallen in love with. The artwork is characterized by pinkish tones and the curious subjects of circus performers.
- African Period: 1907-1909: This period was inspired after seeing African artifacts in June of 1907 at a museum.
- Cubism Period: 1912-1919: This is Picasso’s most prolific period which earned him the name The Father of Cubism. Freeing himself even more from realistic subjects, he utilized shapes and planes to create an object, sometimes also adding an element of collage to his compositions.
Although Pablo Picasso’s fame arose in the art world, he is also remembered by his personal life as well. He had two wives, six mistresses, and many short-term affairs in his lifetime. Many believed his art inspiration came from his love interests. Sadly, after Picasso died at the age of 91 from fluid in the lungs, his second wife of 12 years, Jacqueline Roque, fell into a deep depression, regularly visiting his grave. On October 15, 1986, she shot herself, claiming Pablo wanted her to join him. She appeared in over 400 portraits he painted.
Pablo Picasso painted 13,500 paintings in his lifetime but created 147,800 works of art overall.
What Can We, as Believers, Learn From Pablo Picasso?
When looking at Pablo Picasso’s art and life, it’s unclear whether Picasso wanted to open society’s eyes to those who lived on the fringes of society, or if he simply enjoyed the shock value his compositions created when painting prostitutes or beggars. Picasso was known to be a free spirit bohemian, but also a joiner of the communist party, which, in appearance, are two opposite ideologies. A friend of his stated Pablo failed to have a true understanding of this political party and what it stood for, as he had never read The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx.
Many today subscribe to ideals they don’t completely understand the ramifications of. As believers, it is our job to know truth, and in so knowing, we have a litmus test that refrains us from endorsing beliefs contrary to God’s Word.
Paul writes in his letter to Timothy. “Study and do your best to present yourself to God approved, a workman [tested by trial] who has no reason to be ashamed, accurately handling and skillfully teaching the word of truth.” II Timothy 2:15 (Amplified)
I believe a takeaway from Pablo Picasso’s life is that living a free lifestyle, chasing after pleasures, and agreeing with whatever is culturally popular at the time, will only cause hurt to others and ourselves. A life lived “unrooted” is a life that’s tossed about, leaving little depth or significance.
Yes, Picasso left his legacy in his art, but at what cost to others? And, has the massive amount of art he’s left behind benefited anyone in a meaningful way?
Who can know for sure?
If you have a favorite artist you’d like to see featured on The Hallelujah House submit your request at tammycarteradams@thehallelujahhouse.com. We’d love to hear from you!
Painting by Pablo Picasso/public domain.
Tammy Carter Adams is the founder of The Hallelujah House and co-host of The Hallelujah House podcast. She resides in Orlando, Florida with her husband Jay and their four children. When she’s not creating content, Tammy enjoys painting in her studio and spending time at their farmhouse in the sticks of Georgia.
