Pablo Picasso was born in Malaga, Spain, in 1881. The son of an art teacher, he showed remarkable skill from an early age and studied in Barcelona and Madrid before settling in Paris in his early twenties. His early work moved through the Blue Period and the Rose Period, reflecting shifts in mood, subject, and colour.
Working with Georges Braque, Picasso helped to develop Cubism, breaking subjects into fresh and often surprising viewpoints. Key works such as Les Demoiselles d’Avignon and, later, Guernica, marked him out as a central figure of twentieth century art. He did not limit himself to painting. He drew, sculpted, made prints, and produced ceramics, always pushing materials and ideas in new directions.
Picasso lived much of his life in France and continued to work at great pace into old age. He died in 1973 in Mougins. His influence on modern art is hard to overstate, and his vast body of work remains a touchstone for artists and audiences around the world.