8 Fascinating Facts About Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso is undeniably one of the most iconic artists in history. As a pioneer of Cubism, his groundbreaking works are revered and displayed in museums and galleries worldwide. Dive into these eight intriguing facts about the legendary artist.

1. Pablo Picasso's full name was Pablo Ruiz.

To be precise, his full name was Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso. The Spanish maestro chose his mother's Italian surname, believing it resonated more with his identity. He once shared with Hungarian artist George Brassaï: "Picasso sounded more intriguing and unique than Ruiz ... The double 's' in Picasso caught my attention, as it's uncommon in Spain. The name Picasso has Italian roots, and a name holds significance. Can you picture me as Ruiz? Pablo Ruiz? Diego-José Ruiz? Or Juan-Népomucène Ruiz?"

2. By the age of 9, Pablo Picasso had already finished his first painting.

Although Picasso's family didn’t own a refrigerator, they would have undoubtedly showcased his early artistic achievements if they had. Art was a family tradition, and Picasso began learning figure drawing and oil painting from his father, a painter himself, at just 7 years old. By nine, he completed his first painting. At 13, he enrolled in Barcelona's School of Fine Arts, where his father was an instructor, and by 15, he had produced what he considered his first significant work.

3. There are persistent rumors that Pablo Picasso was left-handed.

While being labeled a southpaw isn’t a bad thing, and Picasso would have been in esteemed company if it were true, the artist was actually right-handed. You can verify this in the video above.

4. Some even claim that Pablo Picasso was involved in the theft of the Mona Lisa.

On August 21, 1911, the art world was thrown into chaos when the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre. A French newspaper offered a reward for information, prompting a man to reveal that he had stolen a statue from the museum years earlier. He alleged that poet Guillaume Apollinaire had sold several stolen statues to Picasso. The 29-year-old artist, then residing in France, was brought to court but denied any knowledge of the statues being stolen. With no concrete evidence or connection to the Mona Lisa theft, Picasso was cleared of charges.

The actual thief, Vincenzo Peruggia, was apprehended in 1913 while attempting to sell the stolen Mona Lisa to an art dealer. A former Louvre guard, Peruggia had even built the frame for the painting. He claimed his motive was to return the artwork to Italy, though some still speculate Picasso might have been involved.

5. Pablo Picasso's famous striped shirt was far from ordinary.

The shirt in question was a Breton-striped shirt. Introduced in 1858, this navy and white knit top became the official attire for French sailors in Brittany. Its 21 horizontal stripes symbolized Napoleon's victories, and the seamless design from shirt to sleeves made sailors more visible at sea. Coco Chanel popularized the working-class Breton stripes in 1917, and they remain a timeless fashion staple.

6. Marie-Thérèse Walter was the one Pablo Picasso could never forget.

Picasso once remarked, “Love is life’s greatest refreshment,” and he certainly indulged in it. In 1927, he spotted the beautiful blonde Marie-Thérèse Walter on the street and approached her with his signature line: “Miss, you have an interesting face ... I would like to paint your portrait … I am Picasso.”

Walter had no idea who he was.

Despite their age gap (she was 17; he was 45), social differences (he was world-famous; she was not), and his complicated relationship status (he was married to ballerina Olga Khokhlova and had other mistresses), the two began a passionate affair. This relationship became Picasso’s most vibrant romance, inspiring some of his most celebrated and valuable works. They also had a daughter together.

Unfortunately, Picasso’s greatest muse, Marie-Thérèse Walter, never became his wife. The artist refused to divorce Olga Khokhlova, and his relationship with Walter ended around 1936. After Khokhlova’s death, Picasso married Jacqueline Roque, who worked in a pottery studio. Some believe Walter was still hoping for a commitment from Picasso when he passed away in 1973. She tragically took her own life four years later in the home they once shared. (Roque also died by suicide 13 years after Picasso's death.)

7. Pablo Picasso was more than just a painter.

Picasso once remarked, "My mother told me, 'If you become a soldier, you’ll be a general. If you become a monk, you’ll be the Pope.' Instead, I chose to be a painter and became Picasso.'" However, his talents extended beyond painting. In 1935, after separating from his first wife, he ventured into poetry and later penned two surrealist plays—one of which was performed as a reading featuring Albert Camus, Simone de Beauvoir, and Jean-Paul Sartre.

There’s a rumor that Picasso believed his poetry would one day overshadow his paintings. However, his untitled, punctuation-free, and often explicit verses never gained much traction. One example: "the smell of bread crusts soaking in urine." Well, you can’t excel at everything!

8. Pablo Picasso’s later years were his most productive.

While one might assume Picasso’s productivity waned with age, he defied expectations yet again. In the last four years of his life, the artist produced more works than in any comparable period. This phase, marked by raw and abstract creations, was epitomized by his 1971 piece, The Young Painter, completed just two years before his passing.