Pablo Picasso
1881 – 1973 · Spain
Known for: Cubism, Guernica, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, Prolific artist
“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up”
Biography
Pablo Ruiz Picasso was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and theatre designer who spent most of his adult life in France. Regarded as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, Picasso is known for co-founding the Cubist movement, inventing constructed sculpture, and co-inventing collage. His revolutionary artistic styles and techniques fundamentally changed the course of modern art. Born in Málaga, Spain, Picasso showed exceptional artistic talent from an early age. His career spanned over 80 years, during which he created an estimated 50,000 artworks, including paintings, drawings, sculptures, ceramics, prints, and textiles. Picasso's work is often categorized into periods: the Blue Period (1901-1904), characterized by somber paintings in shades of blue; the Rose Period (1904-1906), featuring warmer tones and circus themes; the African-influenced Period (1907-1909); Analytic Cubism (1909-1912); and Synthetic Cubism (1912-1919). His groundbreaking painting "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" (1907) is considered a seminal work in the development of Cubism. His anti-war painting "Guernica" (1937), depicting the bombing of the Basque town during the Spanish Civil War, is one of the most powerful political statements in art history. Picasso's personal life was as colorful as his art, with numerous relationships and marriages that often inspired his work. He remained prolific until his death at age 91, leaving an unparalleled legacy in the art world.