Rhetorical Analysis: The Old Guitar

The painting I’ve chosen to analyze is Pablo Picasso’s “The Old Guitar.”

This painting is of an old man holding a guitar. The overall feel of this painting is one of dejection. Picasso uses different shades of blue which is usually associated with sadness. The old man has his head bent in sorrow. He holds the guitar like it’s the only thing left to hold on to, but that it could slip away any minute. He is obviously proficient at playing. Maybe he was a master at one point. His mouth is open, as if he’s singing. It looks dark where he is, like night.

Looking at this painting makes the looker almost feel the dejection. It’s almost as if the man is singing a lament, and you can hear his song, but you can’t at the same time. It’s a song that has never been written and never will be; it’s that powerful. It is the real master piece. Even though the painting portrays mostly dejection and sorrow, you can tell that the man hasn’t given up yet. His face is clear, though sad, and once this night is over he will stand up straight and go on with his guitar. The sorrow he has right now will only be seen in his eyes. The looker is going to feel this sorrow and maybe just by seeing this picture they will have learned a little more about the world, and they will carry it with them also.