Picasso is one of the most famous and recognized Spanish painters in the world. Just mention his name and everyone associates him with painting. In the art world we are used to hearing, Picasso or Pablo Picasso, but was that really the name of the painter?
Well no, his full name was Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Crispín Crispiano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz Picasso. Almost nothing!
Picasso was born in Malaga on October 25, 1881 and died in Mougins on April 8, 1973. He was the son of the painter José Ruiz y Blasco, who was also an art teacher in Malaga, Coruña and Barcelona, but who gave up painting when Pablo she turned 15.
According to his birth certificate, his name was Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz Picasso, and according to his baptismal certificate his name was Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Mártir Patricio Clito Ruiz and Picasso. In either case it’s quite long, right? Almost 25 words!
At that time it was customary to baptize newborns with the name of the grandparents and the current saint and some other names.
Imagine him signing in the corner of the Guernica painting with such a name! Although if we are fair, his name fits well in the more than 7 meters wide painting.
Another curiosity before finishing: in September 1936, the Government of the Second Republic appointed Pablo Picasso director of the Prado Museum. The painter accepted the appointment, but never took up the position, nor was his revocation of the position ever published. Therefore, in theory, despite being dead for almost 50 years, he is still director of the Prado Museum.
Do you know any other painters who have curious names? Well tell us in the comments!
