“Painting is a blind man’s profession. He paints not what he sees, but what he feels, what he tells himself about what he has seen.”
- October 25, 1881 – April 8, 1973
- Born in Spain
- Painter, sculptor, printmaker
- Founder of Cubism, he had a revolutionary influence on 20th century art, leaving behind masterpieces such as “Guernica”
Quote
“Painting is a blind man’s profession. He paints not what he sees, but what he feels, what he tells himself about what he has seen.”
Explanation
In this quote, Picasso emphasizes the subjective and emotional nature of art, suggesting that painting is not merely about representing reality as we perceive it, but about expressing what we feel and interpret in response to the world around us. Picasso compares the artist to a blind man, highlighting the idea that artists do not simply reproduce the world visually, but rather filter it through their own emotions, memories, and imagination. The artist’s perspective is shaped by personal experiences and internal sensations, and what they “see” is often transformed into something entirely new, deeply influenced by their intuition and inner vision. Picasso’s work, especially in his Cubist and Surrealist periods, often blurred the lines between physical reality and the emotional truth behind the image, showing that art is about expressing deeper truths that go beyond the surface.
This concept is highly relevant today, particularly in the realm of abstract and conceptual art, where the focus is not on literal representations, but on the emotional or intellectual response to the world. Modern artists often use their work to express their subjective experiences, exploring personal or cultural themes through symbols, shapes, and colors that do not aim to represent the world as we see it but as we feel it. Picasso’s words encourage us to see art not as a mechanical process of copying reality, but as an act of personal interpretation and expression that conveys a unique perspective.
An example of this can be seen in the work of abstract expressionists like Jackson Pollock, whose drip paintings do not attempt to depict a recognizable scene but instead evoke emotion through color, form, and movement. Similarly, Frida Kahlo’s deeply personal and symbolic self-portraits express her inner world, experiences, and feelings, often transcending physical reality. Picasso’s quote reminds us that art is not about exact reproduction; it is about interpreting and expressing the world as we experience it emotionally and intuitively.
