Warrior’s Tale: Pablo Picasso
Pablo Picasso: The Warrior Who Rewired Art Forever
Greetings Warriors!
Today we’re diving into a name that echoes through every gallery, auction house, and art history book ever written—Pablo Picasso. The man. The myth. The master. You’ve seen the paintings, heard the name, maybe even thrown it around in conversation… but do you really know who Picasso was?
Let me say this upfront: Picasso wasn’t just an artist. He was a force of nature. A true warrior who broke the rules, made his own lane, and inspired generations long after his final brushstroke. His influence is still shaking the world—especially in places you might not expect, like Asia, where the Picasso market is booming today.
This article is personal to me, not just because I admire greatness—but because I’ve written about how art still influences the world today (check that out here), and I’ve covered legends like Vincent van Gogh and El Greco, both of whom helped shape the legacy Picasso built upon.
So let’s get into it! Raw, real, and all about the legend that was Pablo Picasso.
Picasso, The Tragedy - 1903
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From Málaga to the World: The Rise of a Young Warrior
Picasso was born in Málaga, Spain, in 1881. His father was a painter and art teacher, so it didn’t take long before young Pablo picked up a brush—and by the age of 9, the kid was already cooking up masterpieces. Not doodles. Not finger-painting. Real, serious art.
By 13, he was better than his father. That’s not an opinion—that’s what his dad admitted himself. So from a young age, Picasso was already wired different. While other kids were just being kids, Picasso was obsessing over form, color, and composition.
He trained in Barcelona and Madrid, but academia couldn’t contain him. He dropped out, walked his own path, and that decision would define his life forever.
Picasso, Self Portrait - 1901
Art as War: Picasso’s Constant Evolution
If there’s one thing that made Picasso unstoppable, it was this: he never got comfortable.
Where most artists find a style and stick to it, Picasso shapeshifted like a creative chameleon. He had eras—Blue Period, Rose Period, Cubism, Surrealism, Neoclassicism—each one a new battle, a new experiment, a new statement.
He once said, “Every act of creation is first an act of destruction.” That’s how he lived. He destroyed limits, broke art into pieces, and put it back together in ways nobody had seen before.
If you’ve read my breakdown on Vincent van Gogh (link here), you’ll see the connection. Van Gogh painted his soul—raw, unfiltered, emotionally intense. Picasso studied him, respected him, and absorbed that emotion into his own ever-evolving work.
Picasso, Dove - 1949
Influenced by Giants: El Greco, Van Gogh, Cézanne & More
Greatness doesn’t come from a vacuum—it comes from inspiration. Picasso was bold, but he was also a student of history. He looked back to move forward.
One of his biggest influences? El Greco—a painter I’ve written about before in "Warrior’s Tale: El Greco" (link here). El Greco’s elongated forms, spiritual energy, and haunting use of light—all of it echoes in Picasso’s early work.
He also pulled from Paul Cézanne, who taught him that shapes could carry structure and meaning. Then there’s Van Gogh—the emotion, the fire, the brushstroke chaos that Picasso would later tame and transform.
Picasso took pieces from the past and forged them into a future. That’s the essence of a true artist-warrior.
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Pablo Picasso
Cubism: The Revolution That Changed Everything
Let’s talk about Cubism—the movement Picasso co-founded with Georges Braque that flipped the art world on its head.
This wasn’t about realism. This was about breaking objects down into basic forms, slicing them up, and reconstructing reality in a way no one had ever dared to do.
"Les Demoiselles d’Avignon" (1907) wasn’t just a painting—it was a visual explosion. It was Picasso declaring war on tradition, throwing out the old playbook, and inventing something that would redefine modern art.
Cubism was radical, ugly to some, genius to others—but one thing’s for sure: it made Picasso immortal.
Picasso, Les Demoiselles d’Avignon - 1907
The Political Warrior: "Guernica" and Speaking Truth to Power
Picasso wasn’t just flexing with color and form—he spoke truth. When fascist forces bombed the Spanish town of Guernica in 1937, Picasso responded with one of the most powerful anti-war paintings ever made.
The painting "Guernica" is chaos, pain, screaming horses, fractured faces—a mural of suffering and rage. Picasso didn’t need propaganda—his brush was enough.
He once told a German officer during WWII: “You did this.” That’s the level of boldness he carried.
Even today, "Guernica" hits like a punch to the chest. It’s proof that art isn’t just for beauty—it’s for battle.
Picasso, Guernica - 1907
Picasso in Asia: From “Poisonous Weed” to Market Powerhouse
Now let’s bring it full circle to one of the most powerful things happening today: Picasso’s dominance in the Asian art market.
If you read my article "Picasso’s Legacy in Asia" (check it here), you know that Picasso went from being banned in China during the Cultural Revolution to being one of the most collected Western artists in the region.
Exhibitions, museum shows, private sales—his work is everywhere in Asia, with collectors spending millions to bring home a piece of his legacy. From Hong Kong to Shanghai, from Sotheby’s to Poly Auction, Picasso is hotter than ever.
Back in the day, his art was labeled a threat to ideology. Today? It’s a status symbol, a flex, and a piece of history wrapped in paint.
Picasso, The Old Guitarist - 1904
Legacy: The Warrior Never Dies
Picasso died in 1973, but he never really left.
His fingerprints are on every modern artist, every gallery wall, every NFT conversation, and every conversation about what art means. He gave artists permission to break the rules, to evolve, to be messy, bold, and unapologetic.
His life wasn’t perfect. He had enemies. He had critics. He had flaws. But what he never lacked was intensity. The man lived like a storm and painted like one too.
To this day, collectors chase his work not just because of the value—but because owning a Picasso means owning a piece of that fearless spirit.
Renaissance Man - Inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci
Final Thoughts: What Picasso Teaches the Modern Warrior
So what can we learn from Pablo Picasso?
🔹 You don’t need permission to create.
🔹 Evolve or die. Comfort kills greatness.
🔹 Study the masters, but don’t imitate—elevate.
🔹 Speak your truth, even if it’s through paint, chaos, and distortion.
🔹 Legacy is built by those bold enough to go first.
To my fellow warriors reading this—whether you’re an artist, entrepreneur, or simply someone chasing growth—Picasso’s path is a blueprint.
He didn’t just make art. He made war with the ordinary—and the world never looked the same again.
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Drop a comment below: What’s your favorite Picasso piece? Have you seen his work in person?
And if this article hit you right in the soul, do what warriors do—share it, retweet it, spread it. Let’s keep art, passion, and legacy alive.
Stay bold. Stay curious. Stay creating.
theromuluskingdom.com
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Check out Picasso art from my visit at the MOMA
