Pablo Picasso: Principles & Politics
Non-traditional
Picasso received his formal training in art from his father who all along his life was an art teacher. This training was basically in drawing figures and painting with oil. Picasso had his art lessons at most of the schools his father taught in. However he could never be regular in formal education and could not even complete one year college education at the Royal Academy of San Fernando at Madrid. Although he started breaking away from tradition from an early age, his works of early youth under the guidance of his father demonstrated classical styles which his father wanted him to adopt.
The Pacifist
Picasso lived through three great wars, viz. the Spanish Civil War and the First and Second World War but never took part or sided with any country. He remained non-committal and neutral without offering any explanation for his action. This gave the impression to the world that he was a pacifist. But his contemporary artist Braque with whom he developed Cubism and some other artists of his time took it as a lack of courage on his part rather than on principle of pacifism. He hardly ever openly supported any political movements and even the Catalan independence movement during his young days failed to draw him to join it. Circumstances also helped Picasso to stay away from these wars and movements. It was voluntary for a Spaniard living abroad (he was living in France) to join any side in the Spanish Civil War. The same reason could prevent him from fighting in any of the World Wars against the Germans.
Politics
While not actively participating in any war or movement, Picasso expressed his condemnation of war through his art. He condemned the Fascism of Franco in the Spanish Civil War without actually taking part in the fight against him. He became a member of the French Communist Party after the Second World War and drew a portrait of Stalin. However he soon fell out of favor with them.
