Artist Spotlight: Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso is one of the greatest and most influential artists of the 20th century. Picasso’s adult career can typically be broken into distinct periods: Blue Period (1901-1904). Rose Period (1905-1906), Cubism (1907-1921), Classical Period (1918-1927), and Surrealism (1927 onward).

Cubism, especially, became a revolutionary movement. It was painting unlike anything he or anyone else had ever painted before and would influence the direction or art in the 20th century. The concept of Cubist paintings that Picasso produced depict objects that are broken apart and reassembled in an abstracted form, creating a collage-like effect.

Born: October 25, 1881, Malaga, Spain

Died: April 8, 1973, Mougins, France

Famous work: Guernica (1937), Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907)

Facts about Picasso:

• His father began teaching him to paint as early as age 7, in 1888.
• Studied in Malaga, Barcelona, and Madrid before leaving for Paris in 1900.
• Work often reflected his political sentiments.
• Sometimes had superstitious habits like saving his toenail and hair clippings.
• Drew inspiration for his work from diverse sources including African masks.
• QUOTE: “Art is a lie that makes us realize the truth.”

  Illustration by James Murray ’08