The 1913 Armory Show marked the first time that a work by Picasso was displayed in an American museum. At the time his 1910 painting Woman with a Mustard Pot was ridiculed and held as an affront to beauty. It was even depicted in a children's book that satirized Cubism. Since then, his work has been shown at the Art Institute more than 50 times, including many juried watercolor shows in the 1930s, and the museum holds more than 300 pieces by the artist, including drawings, paintings, etchings, and sculpture. In 1967, Chicago Picasso was received with both acclaim and criticism, but today its status as a landmark and icon is undeniable.

1. The Cubies' ABC. Mary Mills Lyall. Illustrations by Earl Harvey Lyall. 1913.
2. Chicago Inter-Ocean, March 20, 1913.
3. 1962 preparatory illustrations for Chicago Picasso. Picasso and Chicago: 100 Years, 100 Works. Stephanie D'Alessandro. 2013.
4. Chicago Picasso Dedication pamphlet, August 15, 1967.
5. Autographed print of Chicago Picasso, 1966.