Unveiling the Master: Top 12 Fascinating Fun Facts About Pablo Picasso You Never Knew

1. Picasso's First Word: Pencil

Before he could say "Picasso my Eggo": Pablo Picasso's first word was "lapiz," the Spanish term for pencil. By the age of 14, his artistic prowess had already surpassed his father's, who was also a painter, and decided to hang up his brushes in awe of his prodigious son.
Source => parispass.com

2. The Birth of Cubism: Museum Trip

Picture this: Picasso walks into a museum, only to bump into his future in the form of African art! Hilarity ensues as he learns the age-old art of breaking down subjects into geometric shapes, and just like that, Cubism was born: During his visit to a Parisian museum in 1907, Pablo Picasso found inspiration in African art for his revolutionary piece, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, which paved the way for the creation of Cubism, a genre co-founded with Georges Braque that challenged artistic conventions by emphasizing the canvas' two-dimensionality through geometric forms and multiple perspectives.
Source => metmuseum.org

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=> Fun Facts about Claude-Monet

3. Granddaughter Maya: Art Insider

Confessions of a Granddaughter: Picasso's family edition! Did you know that Picasso's dear granddaughter Maya was the ultimate insider in his creative world, frolicking in the presence of his renowned masterpieces and even becoming a muse for some of his paintings?: Maya Widmaier Picasso has fond memories of her time spent with her legendary grandfather, including visiting the site where he painted Guernica and holding the prestigious title of confidante, sharing the closest bond with him amongst all his children, making his legacy even more endearing 50 years after his passing.
Source => sothebys.com

4. Passion for Pottery: Picasso's Ceramics

If life is a bowl of cherries, then Picasso ended up in ceramics; his clayful dalliance began in Vallauris, amidst its seductively fired ovens, and stubbornly persisted for twenty years: Amidst the bulls, birds, and lovely ladies we expect of Picasso, there exist over 3,500 unexpectedly practical ceramic works, abundantly adorned with goats, fauns, and minotaurs, all baked to creative perfection and now displayed in prestigious museums, as well as countless friends' kitchens.
Source => parkwestgallery.com

5. Painting the Town: Picasso's Love Life

From bar-hopping in bohemian Paris to schmoozing in the rarified world of fine art, Picasso sure knew how to paint the town red – and blue, and rose, and cubist: Born into an artistic family, Pablo received formal art training early on and used his many travels and romantic relationships as inspiration for his eclectic array of masterpieces, making every brushstroke count.
Source => invaluable.com

6. Child Prodigy: Early Artworks

Before young Pablo even thought about painting the town “blue,” he was busy turning the canvas into his playground, wielding his paintbrush like a skilled magician: Picasso's earliest surviving painting dates back to when he was just 9 years old, and under his father's tutelage in oil painting techniques, he developed a remarkable aptitude and naturalistic style by the age of 8.
Source => mymodernmet.com

7. Revealed Secrets: Misereuse Accroupie

Well butter my biscuits and call it a masterpiece: Picasso's painting La Misereuse Accroupie holds a secret landscape scene from Barcelona's Parc del Laberint d'Horta beneath it, shaping the woman in the painting, and even once featured her holding a piece of bread - all revealed through modern technology examining the hidden mysteries in the artwork.
Source => theguardian.com

8. Playful Picasso: Animal Sketches

Pablo Picasso, the founder of cubism, was also a connoisseur of monkey business: His passion for playfulness and humor shone through his collection of more than 50 whimsical animal sketches – also seen in his children's book, "The Adventures of Coco Chanel," which he wrote and illustrated for his daughter.
Source => openculture.com

9. Energizer Picasso: Unstoppable Artist

Step aside, Energizer Bunny - Picasso has got you beat in the endurance race! In fact, he might as well have dipped his paintbrush in Red Bull: Pablo Picasso was a supremely prolific artist whose staggering portfolio includes paintings, drawings, sculptures, and prints spanning several decades. Though the claim of over 50,000 works is tough to verify, his undeniable influence on the art world continues to inspire and mesmerize today.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

10. Curious Cat: African Art Influence

Picasso was like a curious cat on the prowl for inspiration, but when it came to African art, he just wouldn't let the cat out of the bag when it came to understanding their culture: Picasso collected African art and was influenced by it, but showed little interest in the people and cultures behind the art, leading some historians to question the depth of his appreciation and the problematic use of "primitivism" to describe its impact on his work.
Source => thecollector.com

11. Françoise Gilot: Her Own Legacy

Painting outside the lines: While Picasso's name conjures up images of the Cubist genius, Françoise Gilot, his former partner, and a talented French painter in her own right, has left her own vivid mark on the art world with her unique organic forms and her painting selling for a cool $1.3 million at Sotheby's in 2021.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

12. Sold: $31M Demoiselles Sketch

Watch out Monopoly man, there's a new high roller in town with an eye for fine art and deep pockets to match: One of Picasso's preparatory drawings for "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" was auctioned off in 2018 for a jaw-dropping $31 million, proving the world's continued captivation with the groundbreaking painting that reshaped Western art.
Source => magazine.artland.com