Educational Resources for Picasso: Masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso, Paris
Audio Guide
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Resources
Picasso Primer: A VMFA Gallery Hunt PDF
Enjoy learning about Spanish artist Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) in this 45-minute seek and find activity as you explore the VMFA galleries.
Conociendo a Picasso...Una aventura por las galerías del VMFAPDF
Disfruta aprendiendo sobre el artista español Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) mientras te entretienes explorando las galerías del museo.
Picasso Time LinePDF
Picasso Exhibition Gallery GuidePDF
Picasso: Quotes and YearsPDF
Picasso's Media PDF
Create your own Picasso at Picassohead.com
Lesson plans
Picasso's Objects TrouvesPDF
Picasso's PuzzlersPDF
The Exquisite Picasso PDF
Plates a la PicassoPDF
Suggested Student Resources as Related to Pablo Picasso
Kindergarten–3rd grade
Venezia, Mike. Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists: Picasso. Children’s Press, 1988.
This book offers a playful but accurate account of Picasso’s era. Along with images of his artwork, cartoon characters ask questions of the reader about Picasso’s art and life.
Laden, Nina. When Pigcasso Met Mootisse. Chronicle Books, 1998.
This fictional story about two artists, a pig and a bull, and their friendship parallels the factual relationship between Picasso and fellow artist Henri Matisse.
Maltbie, P.I. Picasso and Minou. Charlesbridge, 2005.
Inspired by Picasso’s pet cat Minou, this story is told from the cat’s point of view. Minou describes Picasso’s Blue Period and how, with Minou’s help, the artist was inspired to paint with more cheery colors, resulting in the Rose Period.
3rd–5th grade
Lowery, Linda. Pablo Picasso. Carolrhoda Books, Inc., 1999.
In this short biography of Picasso, the author describes the artist as a young boy with artistic talent and a lot of personality. As the boy grows into a professional artist, the reader can see how certain people and world events affected his style and art.
Anholt, Laurence. Picasso and the Girl with a Ponytail: A Story about Pablo Picasso. Barron’s. 1998.
Based on his real muse, Sylvette David, this book describes how one girl inspired Picasso to create more than 40 images of her. In return, the girl gained a role model and confidant in the world-renowned artist.
Middle School
Beardsley, John. First Impressions: Pablo Picasso. Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1991.
This book, while providing a brief introduction to the early work of Picasso, focuses on his friendship with Georges Braque, the subsequent invention of Cubism, and its effect on the modern art world.
Spence, David. Picasso: Breaking the Rules of Art. Barron’s, 1997.
This book provides fascinating insight into the art and life of Picasso by detailing the world in which he lived and created. His work appears alongside historical and influential images so that the reader can gain an understanding of Picasso and his work.
Mühlberger, Richard. What Makes a Picasso a Picasso? The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Viking, 1994.
From the Metropolitan Museum of Art series of books about artists, this book delves into the distinct stylistic and formalistic decisions that make Picasso’s art unique. Discussing his many different styles and influences allows readers to familiarize themselves with the work of Picasso.
High School
Warnecke, Carsten-Peter. Pablo Picasso: 1881–1973. Taschen, 1998.
This book provides a thorough and complete review of Picasso’s entire career as an artist including his distinct Blue and Rose periods and his Cubist and Classicist phases of art-making. A great deal of factual information is accompanied with color plates of his works and photographs of Picasso at work.