PABLO PICASSO

PABLO PICASSO*Pablo Picasso – Biography

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Introduction
*Pablo Ruiz Picasso (1881 – 1973)* was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, and ceramicist, co‑founder of the *Cubist movement*. One of the most influential artists of the 20th century, his prolific output (over 20,000 works) spanned from *Blue Period* melancholy to *Surrealist* experiments, reshaping modern visual language.

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Early Life & Family
- *Born 25 October 1881*, *Málaga, Andalusia, Spain*, to *José Ruiz Blasco*, an art teacher, and *María Picasso López*.
- Family moved to *La Coruña (1891)* when his father took a museum position; Picasso showed talent early, outshining his father by age 13.

Education & Early Career
- *Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando*, Madrid (1895‑1897) – briefly attended, disliked formal training.
- 1897‑1900: *Barcelona’s Els Quatre Gats* café—hub for modernist youth. First exhibitions.
- *Paris (1900):* Moved to the artistic capital; met *Gertrude Stein*, *Henri Matisse*, *Georges Braque*.

Artistic Phases
Blue Period (1901‑1904)
- Somber tones (blues, greens). Themes: poverty, isolation.
- *“The Old Guitarist” (1903), “La Vie” (1903)*.

Rose Period (1904‑1906)
- Warmer pinks, oranges. Circus performers, acrobats.
- *“Family of Saltimbanques” (1905)*.

African Art Influence & Proto‑Cubism (1907)
- Encountered *African masks* at Musée d’Ethnographie.
- *“Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” (1907)* – radical break, multiple perspectives.

Cubism (1907‑1914) – with Braque
- *Analytic Cubism* (monochrome, fragmented forms).
- *Synthetic Cubism* (collage, brighter colors).
- Works: *“Three Musicians” (1921)*, *“Still Life with Chair Caning” (1912)*.

Classical & Surrealist Interludes (1920s‑1940s)
- *Neo‑Classical* figures (1920s).
- *Surrealist* works (1930s).
- *“Guernica” (1937)* – anti‑war masterpiece (Museo Reina Sofía, Madrid).

Personal Life
- *Relationships:* Fernande Olivier (1904‑1912), Eva Gouel (1912‑1915), Olga Khokhlova (1918‑1955), Marie-Thérèse Walter (1927‑1935), Dora Maar (1936‑1945), Françoise Gilot (1943‑1953), Jacqueline Roque (1953‑1973).
- *Children:* Paulo (with Olga), Maya (with Marie-Thérèse), Claude & Paloma (with Françoise).

Politics & Later Years
- *Spanish Civil War:* _Guernica_ protested Franco’s bombing.
- *World War II:* Remained in Paris, joined the Communist Party (1944).
- *Post‑war:* Extremely prolific; ceramics, sculptures, prints.
- *Moved to Vauvenargues (1958)*; later *Moulin de Notre‑Dame (1964)*.

Death & Legacy
- *Died 8 April 1973*, *Mougins, France*. Buried at *Château de Vauvenargues*.
- *Musée Picasso (Paris)* opened 1985, housing > 5,000 works.
- Influenced *Abstract Expressionism*, *Pop Art*, *Contemporary design*.
- *Record auction:* _“Les Femmes d’Alger (Version O)” (2015) – $179.4 M_*.

Notable Works (Brief)
Work Year Medium Significance
Guernica 1937 Oil on canvas (349 × 776 cm) Anti‑war statement, political art
Les Demoiselles d’Avignon 1907 Oil on canvas (243 × 233 cm) Birth of Cubism
The Weeping Woman 1937 Oil on canvas Expression of grief, Cubist distortion
Portrait of Gertrude Stein 1905‑1906 Oil on canvas Transition from Rose to early Cubism
*≈ 510 words*

Sources: _Picasso: The Biography_ (Arianna Huffington), Musée Picasso Paris, The Art Institute of Chicago.