Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) is probably one of history’s most famous names. He was a Spanish painter and sculptor and perhaps the most recognized figure in twentieth-century art. He is best known for starting the Cubist style. Among his most famous works is the painting of the German bombing of the Spanish city of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War.
Picasso was born into a middle-class family. He took after his father, who was also a painter and a professor of art. From the age of seven, Picasso had formal art lessons from his father. Picasso threw everything into art and his school grades went down. Aged 16, the family sent Picasso to study at Madrid’s Royal Academy of Art.
Picasso moved to Paris in 1900. It was difficult for him to make a living. In 1911, he was questioned by the police for stealing the Mona Lisa. In the summer of 1918, Picasso married ballerina Olga Khokhlova. She introduced him to the rich people of Paris in the 1920s. He became a celebrity and a very respected artist.
Picasso also acted in movies and always played himself in his film appearances. He became famous for his anti-war views. His painting Guernica showed the horror of war. He publicly opposed America’s involvement in the Korean War. After his death, the French state kept many of his paintings. Today, much of his work hangs in a collection at the Musée Picasso in Paris.
