Pablo Picasso

The Spanish painter, graphic artist and sculptor Pablo Ruiz Picasso is one of the most important artists of the 20th century. He left an extensive oeuvre of almost 50,000 paintings, drawings, graphics, sculptures and ceramics. He is best known for his blue and pink periods and, together with Georges Braque, for founding cubism. His most famous works include “Guernica” (1937) and “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” (1907). Extensive works by the artist are shown in museums in Paris, Barcelona and Madrid.

Born 1881 in Malaga; gest 1973 in Mougins (near Cannes)
1898 attended art school in Barcelona
1897 studies at the Academia San Fernando in Madrid
1901-1904 develops his first own style with melancholic figure paintings; begins to turn to the sculpture (“Seated Woman”)
1905-1907 “pink period”: circus motifs in bright colors; First etchings and engravings as well as the portrait of Gertrude Stein (1874-1946) are made.
1908-1917 another change of style; together with Georges Braque, founder of Cubism
from 1915 , in addition to his cubist works, Picasso began to draw realistic portraits again
from 1919 Picasso’s painting becomes increasingly “classical”. He draws on ancient mythological models
1925 Picasso takes part in the first Surrealist exhibition in Paris with the work “Three Dancers”.
1937 For the Spanish pavilion at the Paris World Fair, Picasso creates the large-format anti-war painting “Guernica”, in which he depicts the city’s destruction in the Spanish Civil War.
Friendship with Dora Maar, who becomes his mistress and model alongside Marie-Thérèse.
1945-1949 In addition to painting, lithography becomes another means of expression that suits his spontaneous style of drawing
from 1947 production of ceramics

Exhibitions (selection)

1913 Pablo Picasso , Modern Gallery Heinrich Thannhauser Munich. World’s first major gallery exhibition
1925 First joint exhibition of the Surrealists in the Galerie Pierre, Paris
1932 Picasso, Kunsthaus Zurich. World’s first museum retrospective
1971 First retrospective of a living artist at the Louvres
1993 Picasso. The time after Guernica 1937-1973 Munich, Hypo Cultural Foundation
1996-1997 Picasso and the portrait, Grand Palais, Paris
2002-2003 Matisse-Picasso, Tate Gallery of Modern Art, London
2015-2016 Picasso Sculpture, Museum of Modern Art New York