Pablo Picasso Birthday, Life, Art Periods & Famous Paintings
Pablo Picasso, the Spanish painter who helped invent Cubism and changed modern art forever, was born on October 25, 1881, in Málaga, Spain. He died on April 8, 1973, in Mougins, France, at the age of 91 — and his birthday is now celebrated around the world as International Artist Day.
| Full Name | Pablo Ruiz Picasso |
|---|---|
| Known For | Painter and sculptor; co-founder of Cubism, “Guernica” |
| Professions | Painter, Sculptor |
| Birthday | October 25, 1881 |
| Died | April 8, 1973 (aged 91) |
| Birthplace | Málaga, Spain |
| Nationality | Spanish (🇪🇸 Spain) |
| Zodiac Sign | ♏ Scorpio (Oct 23 – Nov 21) |
| Chinese Zodiac | Metal Snake |
| Birthstone | Opal |
| Birth Flower | Marigold |
| Born on a | Tuesday |
| Died in | Mougins, France |
| Art movement | Cubism |
A Child Prodigy from Málaga
Picasso’s father, José Ruiz y Blasco, was a painter and art teacher who trained his son from an early age. The boy’s skill quickly outgrew his lessons, and the family moved to A Coruña and then Barcelona, where the teenage Picasso studied at the city’s art school. In 1904 he settled in Paris, the centre of the art world, which would be his base for decades.
The Periods of Picasso
| Period | Years | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Period | 1901–1904 | Sombre blue tones, poverty and loneliness — The Old Guitarist |
| Rose Period | 1904–1906 | Warmer pinks and oranges, circus performers and harlequins |
| African-influenced Period | 1907–1909 | Mask-like faces; Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907) |
| Analytic Cubism | 1909–1912 | Objects broken into facets, developed with Georges Braque |
| Synthetic Cubism | 1912–1919 | Collage, cut paper and brighter, flatter shapes |
Masterpieces Everyone Should Know
- The Old Guitarist (1903–1904) — the most famous image of the Blue Period.
- Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907) — the radical painting that opened the door to Cubism.
- Girl before a Mirror (1932) — bold colour and pattern from his later years.
- Guernica (1937) — his huge black-and-white protest against the bombing of the Basque town during the Spanish Civil War.
Picasso by the Numbers
| Fact | Figure |
|---|---|
| Unsold works in his estate at death | More than 45,000 |
| Paintings and drawings catalogued | More than 16,000 |
| Record auction price | US$179.3 million for Les Femmes d’Alger (2015) |
| Age at death | 91 |
Where to See His Work
Major collections are on show at the Museu Picasso in Barcelona, the Musée national Picasso in Paris and the Museo Picasso Málaga in his home city, which opened in 2003. Guernica hangs in the Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid.
👉 Celebrate his legacy: International Artist Day is held on Picasso’s birthday
👉 Born on October 25: More famous October 25 birthdays
Frequently Asked Questions
Picasso was born on October 25, 1881, in Málaga, Spain.
He died on April 8, 1973, at the age of 91.
Together with Georges Braque, Picasso developed Cubism in the years after 1907.
Guernica (1937) and Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907) are usually named as his most famous works.
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Celebrate more on October 25: Pablo Picasso shares a birthday with International Artist Day, National I Care About You Day, National Mother-in-Law Day, World Pasta Day. See everything celebrated on October 25 →
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