Image via Complex Original
Picasso lived from October 25, 1881 to April 8, 1973, making him 91-years-old when he died. To celebrate his birthday today, we've decided to remember the late painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and stage designer with 10 of his iconic quotes alongside both his work and photos of him. He may be gone, but his work certainly lives on. We're thankful for Picasso's contributions to art and culture.
10 Life Lessons We Can Learn from Picasso
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Picasso 12
"It is not what the artist does that counts. But what he is."
In this quote, Picasso continues to say, "Cézanne would never have interested me if he had lived and thought like Jacques-Émile Blanche, even if the apple he had painted had been ten times more beautiful. What interests us is the anxiety of Cézanne, the teaching of Cézanne, the anguish of Van Gogh, in short the inner drama of the man. The rest is false."
Picasso realized that some people forget where art comes from—a living, breathing artist who has thoughts, ideas, reflections, and opinions about the contemporary moment. Whether studying art history, being a casual observer of art, or anything in between, one should not forget the biographical aspect of a work.
quote via Letters of the great artists – from Blake to Pollock by Richard Friedenthal / image via
Above: Buste de femme au chapeau (Dora) (Bust of Woman with Hat, Dora), 1939
Picasso 9
"For a long time I limited myself to one colour—as a form of discipline."
Picasso 8
"It means nothing to me. I have no opinion about it, and I don't care."
Picasso 5
"There are only two types of women—goddesses and doormats."
Picasso was all about the ladies. He painted his multiple wives and mistresses throughout his work, often presenting their bodies and curves in abstract, contorted ways. His statement is bold, but it reflects his way of operating in extremities, and maybe there's something to be contemplated in the idea that women can either be deified or stepped on. Ladies, take your pick.
Above: La Rêve [The Dream], 1932
Picasso 4
"Computers are useless. They can only give you answers."
At the time Picasso was giving this interview, computers were basically calculators and the Internet didn't exist. So we get his point. Ultimately, we could argue in the 21st century that computers grant us answers that make us question, but his quote is a general reminder to take information actively, not passively. Questioning is important.
quote via "Pablo Picasso: A Composite Interview" by William Fifield in The Paris Review 32 / image via
Above: Apple advertisement, 1997
Picasso 2
"Art is a lie that makes us realize truth."
Not to get too existential here, but it's arguable that everything is a lie...honestly. If anything, art is just a representation of something else, but the best art makes us realize the truth within ourselves, our past, and our present. Picasso also said, "Art is not made to decorate rooms. It is an offensive weapon in the defense against the enemy." Makes sense, right?
quote via / image via
Picasso 1
"Good artists copy; great artists steal."
In many ways, it seems like Picasso points out the obvious here, but in typical Picasso fashion, he takes it to the extreme. We are all influenced by our surroundings and most artists are conscious of what art came before them. Picasso himself was accused of stealing ideas from his colleagues, which included Georges Braque's faux-brois method that heavily influenced the development of synthetic cubism. He basically just meant that if you're going to copy, go ahead and call it stealing, and don't be ashamed. Ultimately, Picasso was much more prolific than Braque and his contemporaries, which made his legacy that much greater.
Above: Still-life with Chair Caning, Spring 1912
