For many people, Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) was undoubtedly the most
important artist of the 20th century. Born in Málaga, Spain, Picasso
revealed his genius at a very early age and was quick to make contact
with the most advanced art circles of his time, first in Barcelona and
later in Paris. In the modernist quest for novelty, Picasso turned to
pre-modern history and 'primitive' art for inspiration. We owe him and
his colleague Georges Braque the invention of Cubism, not just one
amongst many avant-garde movements but the aesthetic that would change
the art of painting forever. Once free from traditional values, Picasso
produced an outstanding oeuvre, both in terms of variety and quality.