Pablo Picasso. Image from webartacademy.com
On 25 October 1881 a man was born, whose talent in painting would change art forever beyond comprehension; just ask Kanye West. In celebration of his epic life and oeuvre, here’s 10 quirky things you might not know about the master Picasso.
A cigar gave him life
When Pablo Picasso was born, he was so weak that the midwife thought he was stillborn. His uncle, who was a doctor in the room at the time, was smoking a cigar. He blew smoke into the infant Picasso’s face, to which he reacted with “a grimace and a bellow of fury”, proving that he was very much alive.
His first word was very appropriate
Pablo Picasso was a child prodigy – obviously. He learned to draw before he could talk, resulting in his first word being “piz piz”, short for “lapis” (the Spanish word for pencil).
Picasso’s Portrait of his Mother, 1896 and “The First Communion” 1896. Images from wikiart.org
He was wise beyond his years
Picasso gained entry to the School of Fine Arts, aged 13. It took him one week to complete his entrance exams, while the rest of the applicants took a month.
His skill deterred his father
Upon Picasso’s early admittance to Art School and his clear skill at painting, his father, who was also a painter (specialising in naturalistic depictions of birds) gave up his craft. He felt that his young son had already surpassed him – embarrassing yet wise.
He preferred his wives petite
Picasso was married twice and had four children by three women. Standing at a mere 5”4 (162cm), one of the two requirements the artist had for his mistresses was that she had to be shorter than him. The other necessity was that she was submissive.
“The Weeping Woman”, Pablo Picasso. Image from tate.org.uk. “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon”, Pablo Picasso. Image from arthistoryarchive.com
He invented more than Cubism
Pablo Picasso is widely known for co-founding the Cubist movement, a style that focuses its subjects to geometric forms. In turn, this paved the way for the invention of constructed sculpture and the co-invention of collage.
He was questioned for theft
The artist was accused of stealing The Mona Lisa from the Louvre, having being blamed for the crime by friend and poet Guillaume Apollinaire. Both were taken in for questioning, and subsequently released.
He really loved Cézanne
Picasso was said to have carried a gun with him, loaded with blanks. He would fire it at people he thought to be boring, and at anyone who insulted Cézanne, his biggest influence and the inspiration behind the invention of Cubism.
“Sylvette”, Pablo Picasso. Image from hyperallergic.com
He didn’t just make paintings
Picasso’s portfolio spans nearly 150,000 works. His 78-year career has given us over 13,500 paintings or designs; 100,000 prints or engravings; 34,000 book illustrations; and 300 sculptures or ceramics.
He paid his taxes with his art
Picasso left no will, therefore his “death duties” had to paid off with his paintings. This hefty collection makes up most of the paintings in Musée Picasso in Paris.