Portrait of Sebastià Junyer Vidal

As he sunk into depression, catalysed by the suicide of a close friend, Picasso entered one of his most celebrated and devastating eras – what is now known as his ‘Blue Period’. From 1901 to 1904, his paintings became monochromatic, depicting all manner of subjects in shades of blue with irregular spots of bright colour that seem to break through the morose monotony of the rest of the canvas. The cool hues make the content of the work seem detached; a sadness pervades every corner as Picasso’s inner life bleeds into his creation. As the period developed, he moved towards painting outsiders in society – sex workers, beggars, and down-and-outs – and increasingly became one himself. The blue work inspired little affection from the buying public and Picasso’s fortunes, which at the turn of the century had seemed so bright, turned for the worse. He became the outsiders he painted, and so much of Picasso’s wildly successful career that followed originated in both the work and the experiences of this difficult time.