8 windows to Picasso's world

Spanish artist Pablo Picasso (1881 -1973) was one of the leading masters of 20th century art. In addition to painting, he also worked on ceramics, sculpting, poetry and more. This picture of him was taken by photographer Robert Doisneau: Picasso's strong hands are a testament to his creative skills. In his lifetime, he created more than 40,000 works of art.

Picasso's early works were rather traditional. This painting, dated 1900, depicts a window looking out on a snowy landscape - almost like a picture within a picture. That same year, Picasso started renting a studio in Paris' renowned artists' quarter, Montmartre. There, he met fellow artists Matisse and Toulouse-Lautrec. The young painter then returned to Spain in 1901.

Picasso's early motifs focused on dancers, circus performers and, in particular, harlequins. Such performers became recurring themes in Picasso's work. His masterpiece "Paolo as Pierrot" (1925) features his costumed son standing by a window. It is one of the highlights at the exhibition "Picasso. Window to the World" in Hamburg.

Picasso launched a new paradigm in art with his foray into cubism: The idea of the outlines of the subjects in his paintings dissolving into abstract squares was downright revolutionary at the time. His style developed after he had forged close ties with the French vanguards of Surrealism, Breton and Aragon. Picasso also provided the stage design for a ballet written by French composer Eric Satie.

Picasso's artistic fervor also affected the women in his life. He loved to paint his lovers - and he had many of them. In 1932, he produced this painting, "Woman sitting near a window, Marie Therese" - two years before meeting Dora Maar, his longtime companion and muse. The exhibition devotes a whole section to his works featuring women and windows.

In his later years, Picasso's signature bright and vivid colors would be replaced by more subdued hues. He produced this painting called "The Shadow" in 1953. That same year, he was abandoned by Francoise Gilot, his partner of almost 10 years and mother of his children Paloma and Claude. It was a dark chapter in the artist's life. Once again, windows reappeared in his work throughout this period.

In 1955, Picasso sold his country estate "La Californie" near Cannes. He said he had always found great inspiration in the views from his remote studio there. By then, Picasso had become so well-known that he could hardly walk on the streets of Paris without being immediately recognized. His homestead in Provence remained his refuge for many years, where he could go incognito for weeks at a time.

The act of looking out a window became both Picasso's spiritual safe haven and his greatest artistic challenge. During each of his major creative phases and especially during his moments of artistic realignment, Picasso always returned to his window. The exhibition "Picasso. Window to the World" is held at the Bucerius-Forum in Hamburg through May 16, 2016.