On October 25, 1881, artist Pablo Picasso was born in Málaga, Spain. His parents were José Ruiz y Blasco and Maria Picasso y Lopez. José was an art teacher and painter. Picasso showed an interest in art from a young age, and José fostered his talent. Maria said Picasso’s first word was “piz,” a shortened version of the Spanish word for pencil, lápiz. She treasured her son’s art and encouraged him throughout his childhood.

At the age of seven, José began teaching Picasso, and at 13, he enrolled in the School of Fine Arts, where his father was a teacher. While he learned much from José, Picasso’s independent spirit and determination to carve his own path led to a tense relationship with his father. He resented the restraints of traditional art study, a sentiment that would shape his future as an artist. At 16, he began studying at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando in Madrid but soon found the lessons too confining and stopped attending.

Free from the bounds of academia, Picasso co-founded the Cubist movement, co-invented the art technique of collage, invented constructed sculpture, and pioneered the artistic style of Crystal Cubism. Picasso went through several varied periods in his art. He wasn’t afraid to experiment, blend styles, explore new materials, and push boundaries. His most famous works are The Old Guitarist (1903), Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907), and Guernica (1937). Picasso died in Mougins, France, on April 8, 1973, at 91.