This exhibition aims to recreate the museum as a source of inspiration for the work of Pablo PicassoThis is an aspect that has been little studied until now. Picasso first visited the Prado Museum at the age of 13, where he was able to contemplate the work of great Spanish masters such as Zurbarán, El Greco, Velázquez, and Goya, among many others—images that would stay with him throughout his life and clearly influence his work. During his formative years, he spent up to eight hours a day at the Prado copying the great painters. But, without a doubt, the Prado's work that fascinated him most was Las Meninas de Velázquez, a painting of which he made 58 different versions in 1957.

In the case of El GreekPicasso first saw a painting at the age of 17, which was a complete revelation to him. In 1897, he visited Toledo with his classmates from the San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts and there, in the Church of Santo Tomé, he saw it. The burial of the Count of Orgaz, a work that exerted a great influence throughout his entire artistic career

Upon settling in Paris, he frequently visited the city's museums, with the Louvre becoming his primary focus. Several accounts confirm that Picasso regularly visited this institution to explore its galleries, both those dedicated to ancient art (with particular attention to Iberian art) and those devoted to the great masters. Françoise Gilot recounts in her memoirs a visit Picasso made to the Louvre in 1947 at the invitation of its director, during which, on the occasion of a donation of ten of his paintings, he was able to compare these works with those of his admired artists. Zurbaran, Delacroix y CourbetOne of these paintings by Delacroix, The Women of AlgiersIt was the subject of 14 versions by Picasso in 1955. One of the women in this painting bore a striking resemblance to Jacqueline, his last wife. It was also at the Louvre that Picasso was able to see the Olympia de Manet confronted with Great Odalisque de Ingres, works that were a continuous source of inspiration.

Indeed, Ingres was another of the great masters who attracted considerable attention from Picasso. Three visits to his museum in the French town of Montauban are documented, where he was able to view sketches by Ingres. The turkish bath, to which he dedicated a whole series of engravings.

Another Parisian museum that exerted a great influence on his work was the Trocadero, which he visited in 1906 on the recommendation of his friend, the artist André Derain, and where he discovered primitive art, an iconography that he would later incorporate into his paintings. The young ladies of Avignon, the beginning of his Cubist period. This exhibition includes the sketchbook that gave rise to this masterpiece of art history.

Rembrandt y Degas These were two other great artists whom Picasso admired. The Dutch painter first appeared in Picasso's work in 1934 in the Vollard Suite And from then on it was a constant, to the point that he even signed one of his famous Musketeers with the name Domenico Theotocopulos van Rijn da Silva, in reference to that trio of artists composed of El Greco, Rembrandt, and Velázquez. As for Degas, he appears in 35 prints of the Suite 156.

Another of his role models was Rafaelwhose work he was able to admire both in the Prado and the Louvre and during his trip to Rome. Picasso learned from the poet Rafael Alberti about the love affair between Raphael and La Fornarina, a subject that his admired Ingres had portrayed and to which Picasso dedicated 25 engravings in the Suite 347. 

This entire universe is reflected in this exhibition, curated by Javier Molins, which features nearly 200 works from prestigious institutions such as the Picasso Museum in Barcelona, ​​the Bancaja Foundation, the Picasso Foundation (Birthplace Museum) in Malaga, and the private collection of Francisco Fandos.

[Picasso and Goya rooms]

[df-subtitle]Picasso Incentenary[/df-subtitle] 

Centenaries are our own special tributes to authors, ideas, or texts, not dictated by calendars or anniversaries. In 2017, from el Círculo de Bellas ArtesWe began this series of non-celebrations with the figure of Ramon Maria del Valle-Inclan And in 2018, Pablo Picasso is the one being honored. In February, we inaugurated this exhibition about the Malaga-born painter, which will be accompanied by screenings at the Cine Estudio and of conferences within the cycle On Mondays, at the Circle.

[df-subtitle]Guided tours of the exhibition[/df-subtitle]

Individual guided tours (with prior reservation)

El Círculo de Bellas Artes It offers guided tours for adults conducted by experts in Art History, starting from 5 registered people.

Available days:

Wednesday, February 21st at 11:30 a.m.

Tuesday, February 27th at 17:30 pm

Friday, March 9 at 18:00 p.m.

Tuesday, March 20th at 17:30 pm

Monday, April 9th ​​at 11:30 a.m.

Tuesday, April 24th at 17:30 PM

Friday, May 4th at 18:00 PM

Wednesday, May 9th at 11:30 a.m.

Duration: 1 hour

Language: Spanish 

Price: €8 per person · €6 for CBA members

Guided tours for private groups (with prior reservation)

El Círculo de Bellas Artes It offers guided tours for adults conducted by experts in Art History.

Approximate duration: 1 hour

Opening hours and price: Tuesday to Friday, €50 per group + €3 per person (exhibition entrance fee) · Weekends and holidays, €60 (plus €3 entrance fee per person)

Information and bookings For guided group and individual tours:

Monday to Friday from 9.00h to 14.00h

91 196 70 99

info@didark.es

[df-subtitle]Activities for school children and families[/df-subtitle]

More Information here.