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Picasso is recognized as one of art's great geniuses. Few artists in history have matched his stature and imp act. The son of an art teacher, he gave evidence of his talents early in his life. He was born in Malaga, lived for some years in Barcelona, and in 1901 moved to Paris where an exhibition of his work was held by Ambroise Vollard, an art dealer. Vollard's appreciation of Picasso's talents and his business acumen were key elements in Picasso's rise to dizzying heights.
The years 1901 to 1904 marked the artist's blue period, in which he depicted grim social conditions. His rose period followed briefly, and in 1908 Picasso and Georges Braque began to develop cubism. Picasso experimented with collages and portraiture before entering, in the 1920s, what is known as his metamorphic phase, extending classical forms through his own visions.
Expressionistic art was reflected in his major work Guernica, which was exhibited in 1937 at the Spanish Pavilion of the Paris World's Fair. Persuaded by printmaker Fernand Mourlot, Picasso turned to lithography in the 1940s. His inventiveness and verve conquered the medium, making it an exciting art form again and forever setting a standard of excellence.
 Picasso's graphic oeuvre is tremendous, containing dry points, etchings, woodcuts, linocuts, lithographs, and aquatints. In 1982 a sale of ninety-eight rare prints sold for almost $1.4 million dollars at Sotheby Parke Bernet in New York. Picasso Leads The Pack with the highest painting sold at auction. May 6th 2004 Picasso's "Boy With A Pipe" ("Garçon a la Pipe") was sold to an anonymous bidder represented in the room by Warren Weitman of Sotheby's for $93 million. The final price, reflecting commissions for the auctioneer, is roughly $104.1 million. The price easily beats that of the previous all-time record setter, Van Gogh's "Portrait of Dr. Gachet," which sold at a Christie's auction for $82.5 million in 1990.
Bidding was begun on Wednesday evening by auctioneer Tobias Meyer at $55 million. A few minutes later, with the price at $79 million, a lull enveloped the room.
"Are we done? I'm happy to wait", Meyer said.
That was when the new bidder, in cell phone contact with a potential buyer, chimed in, upping the bid to $80 million. There were seven different prospective buyers bidding in $1 million increments over five minutes.
"I have to be patient", Meyer said.
The final price of $104.1 million.
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