View of Riera de Sant Joan from the window 1900

Pablo Picasso painted "View of Riera de Sant Joan from the window" with oil on wood panel, but we don't know exactly when. Painted from what was likely his family's apartment in Barcelona, we see the street below through the window. Picasso’s early work often reflects his immediate surroundings. His experiences as a young artist in Barcelona shaped his evolving artistic identity. The painting captures a moment of everyday life, with figures moving along the Riera de Sant Joan, a place that held personal significance for Picasso, in the city that was so formative to his personal development. Despite the mundane subject, it's difficult to make out any real detail. The dark palette evokes a feeling of alienation from the world, a sense of being an outsider looking in. As we gaze out that window alongside the young artist, we may consider the many ways that identity is shaped by place.