Two iconic moments for art

April 8, On This Day

A master is lost

It is an undeniably historic day for the world of art, as April 8, 1973, is when Pablo Picasso died of heart failure. This Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and theatre designer is one of the most popular names in art even today. He is known as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, and a co-founder of the Cubist movement, among other firsts. One of his most famous paintings recently left the halls of the United Nations after decades — Guernica (1937), a dramatic portrayal of the Spanish Civil War. Henri Matisse is said to have motivated Picasso to explore more radical styles — the duo is often paired together as the leaders of modern art.

A goddess emerges

Interestingly, another iconic art moment also took place on April 8, 1820. One of the most famous works of ancient Greek sculpture, the Venus de Milo, was discovered on the Aegean island of Milos. Created sometime between 130 and 100 BC, the statue is believed to depict Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty. The statue is named after Aphrodite\’s Roman name, Venus, and is currently on permanent display at the Louvre Museum in Paris. Many modern artists have since been inspired by this piece, including French Post-Impressionist painter Paul Cézanne, René Magritte, and Neo-Dada Pop artist Jim Dine.