At the very pinnacle of Modernism, and leader of the school of Paris, Picasso continues to dominate visual art of the 20th century, even as we embark upon the 21st. His versatility, technical brilliance and imaginative depth have not been surpassed in this or in any other age, and when his greatness is compared to others, it is a comparison normally reserved to Michelangelo or da Vinci.

Pioneer of Cubism, the titan Picasso was an inexhaustible inventor, yet a supreme master of the classical tradition. His protean eye and indelible hand have cast such a wild net, that even great masters still lament the inescapable vortex of his discoveries.

Nowhere is this clearer than in the awe-inspiring body of Picasso's graphic art, in which legendary powers as draftsman unite with unsurpassed mastery of the media, in an astounding range of styles, registers and affects. It has been said that Picasso, magician, could infuse even the simplest line with the impress of genius.

Taken all together, Picasso stands as the greatest artist since the High Renaissance, some 500 years past.