Meet Me at the Metaphor

Artists possess a unique superpower: the ability to create metaphors.

Through metaphors, we foster deep connections. The works of art we create are more than objects; they are vibrant worlds in which our imaginations can build meaningful community.

Pablo Picasso, The Old Guitarist (Blue Period; 1901–1904)

Picasso painted The Old Guitarist during his Blue Period (1901–1904). Little did he know that more than eighty years later, a young boy would visit the museum year after year, captivated by the mystery of the artist’s initial composition. Hidden beneath the dry oil brushstrokes lies an earlier painting that Picasso began before shifting his focus to the seated guitarist.

That young boy was me.

The Old Guitarist remains a timeless masterpiece. It was through this artwork that I first connected with Picasso. While a biography could provide the facts of his life, it was before this canvas in the museum that I truly encountered his heart.

The painting first resonated with me as a child on a third-grade field trip, but its meaning has morphed over the years as it opened the door to a deeper understanding of Picasso’s story behind the piece.