Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) [En]
Considered to be the greatest artist of the 20th century, Pablo Picasso was remarkable for his mastery of numerous media, the sheer volume of his output, and most of all for his ceaseless stylistic innnovation and versatility.
The son of a Spanish art teacher and precociously talented, by his early 20s Picasso had moved to Paris and was working on the haunting images of his Blue and Rose periods. In 1907 he painted the seminal "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" from which he went on to develop Cubism, a revolutionary way of depicting reality by fracturing volume and space into facets, showing multiple viewpoints. Later, Picasso explored realism and Surrealism, and in 1937 painted the masterpiece "Guernica," which reflected the horror of the Spanish Civil War. These frequent changes of style have been seen to reflect the various women with whom he was involved.
After World War II he moved to the south of France, where he continued to work in many media, especially ceramics. He died at age 91, having made an enormous impact on the course of 20th century art.
October 25, 1881 Born Pablo Ruiz y Picasso, in Malaga, son of art teacher Jose Ruiz Blasco and Maria Picasso y Lopez.
1896 Attends School of Fine Arts in Barcelona. Wins medal for academic painting "Science and Charity."
1897 Attends Royal Academy of San Fernando, Madrid. Spends time painting street life and viewing work of Velazquez at the Prado.
1900 In Barcelona, has first exhibition.
1904 Settles in Paris. Produces work of Blue Period - enigmatic figurative scenes in somber blue palette. Meets Apollinaire and Gertrude Stein.
1904-06 Takes Fernande Olivier as mistress. Palette changes to pink tones of Rose Period, showing circus performers.
1907 Paints "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" showing figures with masklike faces influenced by Iberian sculpture, and marking beginning of Cubism.
1908-14 Collaborates with Georges Braque on Cubist works.
1916-24 Designs costumes and sets for Sergei Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes, where he meets and marries dancer Olga Koklova in 1918 (son Paulo born in 1921).
1920 Works in variety of styles, generally more naturalistic, and often showing classical bathers and mythological figures. Exhibits at first Surrealist exhibition in 1925.
1931-36 Leaves wife and takes mistress, Marie-Therese Walter (daughter Maya born in 1935).
1937 Reacts to German bombing of Spain by painting the huge mural, "Guernica."
1939-45 Remains in France during World War II. Meets Francoise Gilot, with whom he has two children, Claude and Paloma. Joins the Communist party.
1946 Moves to Antibes, France, with Gilot and turns again to mythological subjects.
1961Marries Jacqueline Roque, his model since Gilot's departure in 1953 and the inspiration for much of his late work. Moves to Mougins, near Cannes.
1960 Produces variations of works by earlier artists such as Velazquez, Delacroix, and Manet.
1971 Becomes first living artist to have an exhibition at the Louvre in Paris, in honour of 90th birthday.
AApril 8, 1973 Dies in Mougins at age 91. Over 50,000 works remain in his own collection, from every period of his career and in various media.