Malaga is a fascinating city to explore, and one of the highlights for art or history buffs is the Picasso Museum, situated in the heart of this ancient city. Picasso wanted his work to be displayed in his home town of Malaga, and his idea finally was realized in 2003.
Location and Hours of the Museo Picasso Malaga
The Museum is located in the heart of Malaga: Palacio de Buenavista, c/ San Agustin, 8 29015 Malaga, Espana. Opening hours are Tuesdays to Thursdays, Sundays and public holidays, from 10 am to 8 pm, and Fridays and Saturdays, 10 am to 9 pm.
History of the Museum
Picasso and the Provincial Delegate for Fine Arts in Malaga discussed the possibility of opening a museum of his works as early as 1953. Picasso’s daughter-in-law, Christine Ruiz-Picasso, made the necessary contacts, developed a managing foundation, and ensured that the Museo Picasso Malaga was completed 50 years after Picasso originally formulated the idea.
The Palacio de Buenavista, a National Monument, houses Picasso’s art and was built in the 16th century. The architecture is a mixture of Andalusian, Mudejar and Renaissance elements and is built above even more ancient remains. Visitors can explore beneath the museum, where parts of a 7th century Phoenician village is displayed.
The Foundation that governs the Museo Picasso Malaga owns the full collection and the Palacio de Buenavista. The intention of the foundation is to preserve and exhibit Picasso’s work as well as provide cultural education for Spanish citizens and visitors. In the spirit of Picasso’s belief that art was only complete when the public had an opportunity to interpret it.
Picasso’s Artistic Development
Born in 1881 on the 25th of October, in Malaga, Picasso was enrolled in a fine arts academy by 1892, where his father taught. Pablo created his own newspaper at 13 years of age, and continued this precocious development, exhibiting his art at 16 and passing the entrance exams to study at the Royal Academy of San Fernando in Madrid. He worked in various studios in Barcelona and Madrid where he produced the works from his Blue period and introduced the harlequin into his work.
1905 was the beginning of Picasso’s Rose period, which dominated his work until 1907, and by 1908 his work was showing the influence of Cezanne’s geometric forms. Cubism was shocking to the art world in 1912, but Picasso continued with this theme for three years before starting to paint in the neoclassical style. His paintings were selling for record prices by 1914.
Picasso designed scenery and costumes for ballets and theatrical productions in Paris and London during the period from 1916-1924. He drew dancers in the realistic style and from 1927-1937 bathers were his primary subjects.
Sculpture was a long-term interest of Picasso’s, and in 1930, in his chateau in Normandy, he began producing large pieces. He concentrated on sculpture for several years, returning to this medium off and on throughout his career. In the mid-30’s Picasso stopped painting to write Surrealist poems and create engravings, then returned to painting in the 1940’s.
Picasso’s Women
Women found Picasso difficult to resist. His female companions were much younger than him, relationships often overlapping, some public and some private. He sired four children by three women, and married twice. Several of his female companions met tragic ends, disillusioned and impoverished.
The theme of war and peace is prominent in Picasso’s work during the 1940’s and 1950’s. One of the more recognizable of his paintings is the dove of peace, which he donated to the Soviet backed World Peace Congress of 1949. He was a peaceful Socialist and received the Lenin Prize for Peace in 1950 and 1962. He refused to allow his image of the peace dove into Spain during Franco’s dictatorship.
