Pablo Ruiz Picasso (* 25 October 1881 in Málaga, Spain; † 8 April 1973 in Mougins, France) was a Spanish painter, graphic artist and sculptor. His extensive oeuvre includes paintings, drawings, graphics, collages, sculptures and ceramics, the total number of which is estimated at 50,000. It is characterized by a great variety of artistic expressions and techniques. The works from his Blue and Rose Periods and the founding of Cubism together with Georges Braque mark the beginning of his extraordinary artistic career.

One of Picasso's most famous works is the painting Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (1907). It became a key image of classical modernism. With the exception of the monumental painting Guernica (1937), an artistic representation of the horrors of the Spanish Civil War, no other work of art of the 20th century has challenged research as much as the Demoiselles. The motif of the dove on the poster he designed for the Paris World Peace Congress in 1949 became a symbol of peace worldwide.

Comprehensive Picasso collections are on display in museums in Paris, Barcelona and Madrid. His works are prominently represented in many of the world's major art museums that exhibit 20th century art. The Museu Picasso in Barcelona and the Musée Picasso in Antibes were built during his lifetime.