THE PROFESSIONAL CAREER of the most influential artist of the 20th century spanned nearly 80 years. He was 91 when he died and had continued working until a short time before he died. His mother said that Picasso could draw before he could speak, which could account somewhat for his prolific output. One of his last self-portraits, The Young Painter created on 14 April 1972 – Picasso dated all his works – is part of a special exhibition Picasso Celebration: The Collection in a New Light! at the Musée national Picasso-Paris. It is curated by the British fashion designer Sir Paul Smith, to mark the 50th anniversary and Picasso’s enduring legacy.
The diversity of Picasso’s art springs from his early days growing up
