🎨 Picasso Year 2023: the legacy of the genius of cubism half a century later
The year 2023 should be etched in the history of art as the Picasso Year 2023, a worldwide commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the death of the most universal Spanish artist.
Under the motto Celebration Picasso 1973-2023, Spain and France joined forces to pay tribute to a creator who redefined the limits of painting, sculpture and ceramics. At The Sun Places we invite you to explore the life and work of this genius, discover the museums that hold his legacy in Spain and find out why the Picasso Year 2023 remains an unavoidable cultural reference today.
Who is Pablo Picasso?
🖼️ Pablo Picasso: the man from Málaga who changed art forever
📍 Birth and early years
- Pablo Ruiz Picasso was born in Málaga on 25 October 1881, into a family linked to the art world. His father, José Ruiz Blasco, was a drawing teacher, and from a very young age the young Pablo Picasso showed exceptional talent for painting. At the age of 14, he entered the Barcelona School of Fine Arts, and later completed his training in Madrid.
🎨 Artistic career of Pablo Picasso
- Pablo Picasso changed the course of art history with works such as Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (1907) and the huge mural Guernica (1937), an appeal against the barbarism of war. He is universally recognised as the creator of Cubism, a movement that broke with traditional perspective and opened the doors to abstraction. During his long career —he died at the age of 91— he painted more than 2,000 works, as well as creating sculptures, ceramics, engravings and drawings.
🏅 Recognitions and legacy of Pablo Picasso
- The Picasso Year 2023 was precisely the perfect framework to remember the impact of this genius on contemporary culture. His figure transcended the artistic sphere to become a universal icon.
- In the words of the Spanish Minister of Culture, Miquel Iceta: "If there is an artist who defines the 20th century, who represents it with all its cruelty, violence, passion, excess and contradictions, that artist is, without a doubt, Pablo Picasso".
📅 What is the Picasso Year 2023 and why was it celebrated?
The Picasso Year 2023 is a joint initiative of the governments of Spain and France to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the artist's death, which took place on 8 April 1973 in Mougins (France). The celebration runs from September 2022 to spring 2024, encompassing more than 50 exhibitions and events at renowned cultural institutions in Europe and the United States.
The programme was officially presented at a press conference at the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid on 12 September 2022 by the Culture Ministers of both countries.
The Picasso Year 2023 represents the first international collaborative tribute that highlighted the life and work of Pablo Picasso, generating a great cultural impact.
The Picasso Year 2023 is celebrated to honour the artist's legacy, revisit his career 50 years after his death and project his figure to new generations, bringing his work closer to a young audience already born in the 21st century.
Picasso Museums in The Sun Places destinations
🏛️ The Museums of Pablo Picasso in Spain: a tour of his legacy
If you want to follow in the footsteps of the genius, Spain has several museums that hold his work. The Picasso Year 2023 focused on all of them, and today they remain a must-see for any art lover.
🏺 Museu Picasso de Barcelona (the world's first monographic museum)
- Opened in 1963, it was the first monographic museum dedicated to Pablo Picasso and the only one opened during the artist's lifetime. It is located on Carrer de Montcada, in the heart of the El Born district, occupying five Gothic palaces from the 13th and 14th centuries. It houses more than 4,200 works, with a notable collection covering from the formative years to the emblematic Meninas and the engraving series of the Suite Vollard.
- During the Picasso Year 2023, the museum will actively participate with exhibitions such as Miró-Picasso and multiple commemorative activities. Its most precious gem is the 58 versions of Velázquez's Las Meninas, the only complete series by the artist that is preserved entirely together.
🏛️ Reina Sofía Museum (Madrid): the home of Guernica
- Although Madrid does not have a monographic museum dedicated exclusively to Pablo Picasso, the Reina Sofía National Museum and Art Centre houses his most emblematic work: the "Guernica" mural (1937), a universal symbol against war.
- The museum also houses an extensive collection of preliminary studies, drawings and other works by the artist that help to understand the creative process of this masterpiece. It will be a must-see during the Picasso Year 2023.
🖼️ Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum (Madrid)
- The permanent collection of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum includes fundamental pieces of Picassian Cubism, such as the still life "Glasses and Fruit" (1908). In addition, this museum has organised important temporary exhibitions around the figure of the artist from Málaga, some of them within the framework of the Picasso Year 2023.
🎨Picasso Museum – Eugenio Arias Collection (Buitrago del Lozoya)
- Just outside Madrid, in the picturesque town of Buitrago del Lozoya, lies this small but great gem. It houses more than 70 works that Picasso gave to his friend and barber, Eugenio Arias. It is the most personal and affectionate collection of the artist, closely linked to friendship. During the Picasso Year 2023, this museum will have special relevance due to its intimate nature.
🏠 Museo Picasso Málaga (MPM)
- Located in the Palacio de Buenavista (Málaga), it offers a chronological tour of the artist's career. Its permanent collection comprises more than 200 works (paintings, sculptures, drawings and ceramics) spanning from his first academic creations to his latest investigations. The Museo Picasso Málaga is one of the most active during the Picasso Year 2023.
🏡 Picasso Birthplace Museum (Málaga)
- Located in Plaza de la Merced, it is the place where Pablo Picasso was born on 25 October 1881. The space is dedicated to his childhood, his family and the early years of his career, complemented by a valuable collection of graphic works and personal documents. It is an intimate and exciting place, very popular during the Picasso Year 2023.
💖 What does Picasso's legacy represent for The Sun Places
The Picasso Year 2023 continues to be a source of inspiration for art and culture lovers. At The Sun Places we want you to explore the life of the genius from Málaga in maximum comfort.
For Barcelona: We offer you luxury apartments in the heart of El Born, just a few minutes from The Museu Picasso de Barcelona. Our concierge service will manage your tickets and organise guided tours so you don't miss any detail of the 4,200 works.
For Madrid: Although we do not have our own accommodation in the capital, we can advise you on the best hotels and apartments near the Reina Sofía and the Thyssen, and help you with transport to visit the Eugenio Arias Collection in Buitrago.
For Málaga: We have a selection of luxury apartments near the historic centre, so you can visit the Museo Picasso Málaga and the Birthplace Museum at your leisure.
📞Experience the legacy of the Picasso Year 2023 with The Sun Places
The Picasso Year 2023 will leave us with an unforgettable legacy: the certainty that the art of Pablo Picasso is more alive than ever. And now, at The Sun Places, we offer you the opportunity to explore the museums that house his work with maximum comfort and exclusivity.
✨ Contact The Sun Places and book your Luxury Apartment in Barcelona, Luxury Apartments in Puerto Banús or Luxury Apartment in Málaga. The genius from Málaga awaits you. ✨