The best artists of the Renaissance were known to thousands in the aristocratic circles and among the crowned heads of Europe. Pablo Picasso, the demure painter, sculptor and draftsman from Malaga, Spain, was known to millions across the continents. Displaying impeccable artistic talent from his early adult years, Picasso rejected the academic style of art and aligned himself with the avant-garde artists who preferred to express themselves through symbolist imagery.

On this day, June 24, in 1901, an exhibit of 75 of Pablo Picasso’s works opened in Paris France, at a gallery of Ambroise Vollard, an art dealer who had also previously sponsored Paul Cezanne.

Over 80 years, the prolific Picasso made some 80,000 drafts, paintings and sculptures, with subjects as diverse as of any artist. His early blue period, so called for the prevalence of the blue tones, represented the despair of the poor. His rose period was notable for the dominance of circus scenes. He is most known for founding the painting style of cubism, which reflected the influence of Cezanne, among others.