Biography

1881

Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomucéno Maria de los Remedios Crispín Crispriano Santísima Trinidad was born in Málaga on October 25th as the first of three children of Don José Ruiz Blasco and Doña María Picasso y Lopez. His father worked as a painter, art teacher at the local school of arts and crafts and conservator at the city’s museum.

1895

Joined the art academy in Barcelona, where the family had moved due to the father’s appointment as professor for figure drawing at the art academy

1897

Passed the entrance examination of the Royal Academy San Fernando in Madrid which he left in winter again

1899

Worked as a painter and illustrator for magazines

1900

Participated in the Paris Universal Exposition presenting his painting “Dernier moments”. Publication of drawings though papers and journals in Barcelona. First trip to Paris

1901

Started to sign his works with “Picasso”, his mother’s name. First exhibition in Paris in June

1901-1904

Development of his first independent, melancholic style – the so called “Blue period” – as a reaction to his friend’s Carlos Casagemas’s suicide

1904

Relocation to Paris where he met Fernande Olivier who first became his model and later his lover

1905-1907

“Rose Period”. First etchings and copper engravings. Acquaintance with George Braque and start of a fruitful cooperation as a result of which a close friendship developed

1908-1917

Fundamental change of style which was especially influenced by African sculptures from the museum of ethnology. Co-founder of the modern art movement of Cubism in companion with Georges Braque

1911-1914

First “papiers collés” by Braque. Assumption of the technique by Picasso. Start of introducing paper and newspaper cut-outs, labels, advertising brochure texts and other materials into his art

1915

Besides his cubistic works, Picasso created realistic pencil portraits

1916

Picasso designed the costumes and sets for the ballet “Parade” in Paris

1917

Made acquaintance with the solo dancer Olga Koklowa at the ballet’s premiere on Mai 18th

1918

Marriage with Olga on July 12th

1920

At the Côte d’Azur, he created colourful gouaches and landscapes in “neoclassic” style

1921

Birth of his son Paolo

1925

Participation in the first Surrealist group exhibition in November

1927

Acquaintance with Marie-Térèse Walter who became his lover and model

1928-30

Work on sculptures and wire constructions in company with the Spanish sculptor Julio Gonzalez

1934

Extensive travel through Spain

1935

Due to Marie-Térèse’s pregnancy, the relationship between Picasso and Olga broke up

1936

Picasso was appointed director of the Prado by the republicans in gratitude for his support as well as of his refusal of Franco after the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War on July 18th

1937

By order of the republican government of Spain, Picasso painted the mural “Guernica” for the Spanish pavilion at the Paris International Exposition

1939

Retrospective “Picasso: Forty Years of his Art” with 344 presented art works at the Museum of Modern Art in New York

1941

The surrealist theatre play “Le Désir attrapé par la Queue” was created

1944

Joined the Communist Party in France as a result of which his artistic oeuvre and political orientation was strongly criticised

1948

Was awarded the Medal for Merit by the French government

1949

His lithography “dove” (La Paloma) became apparent worldwide, after it was chosen as emblem for the First International Peace Conference’s in Paris

1950

Honorary citizen of Vallauris

1955

Death of his first spouse Olga in Cannes

1961

Marriage with Jacqueline Roque in Vallauris

1963

On March 6th, the Museu Picasso, which would receive the majority of the artist’s Estate later on, was opened in Barcelona

1971

Honorary citizen of the city of Paris

1973

Picasso died at the age of 91 on April 8th, 1973 in his villa in Mougins