What did Spain look like when Picasso was born? What kind of community did he grow up in? What was his studio like? Who were the people who had the most influence on his art? The answers to these and other questions help bring into focus the Spanish artist's brilliant career and his influence on twentieth-century art. Color reproductions of his masterpieces are interspersed with photographs of Picasso's personal life, and are presented in a dynamic layout that reflects the artist's creative vision and boundless energy. Picasso's anti-war stance, his tumultuous love affairs, and his outspokenness are all examined with journalistic verve. This book not only provides a solid background on Picasso's monumental body of work, but also offers anecdotes, historical context, and a fresh perspective on an enigmatic and endlessly compelling figure.