ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Picasso's African Period

Imagine you are playing with blocks and you want to make a tower. But instead of using all the same blocks, you decide to use blocks of different shapes and sizes to make your tower more interesting. This is kind of what the famous artist Pablo Picasso did during his African period.

Picasso was already a well-known artist, but one day he saw some art from Africa that he really liked. He was inspired by the shapes and patterns he saw in African masks and sculptures. So, he decided to try and make his own art using those shapes and patterns.

During his African period, which lasted from 1907 to 1909, Picasso created many paintings, drawings, and sculptures that were influenced by African art. He used bold shapes, bright colors, and exaggerated features, like big eyes and noses, to make his art look more like African masks.

Some people didn't like Picasso's African period at first because they thought the art looked strange and different. But over time, people began to appreciate the way Picasso used African art to create something new and exciting. Today, his African period is considered an important part of his work and has even influenced other artists.