Picasso and Catalonia. An international corpus

Abstract

Picasso’s relationship with Catalonia is a well-known and widely discussed topic, though it has often been approached primarily from a biographical or even sentimental perspective. While this approach is valid and aligns with the available evidence, we aim to highlight the artistic outcomes of this connection. Picasso’s stays in Catalonia resulted in an extraordinarily unique body of work, with some of the pieces created in Catalonia corresponding to the most brilliant periods of his career. For example, the finest works of his Blue Period were produced in Barcelona, and his Cubist creations in Horta, Cadaqués, and Ceret mark the pinnacle of the most revolutionary avant-garde movement in 20th-century art. Therefore, beyond Picasso’s emotional ties to Catalonia, which the artist himself acknowledged, it is essential to emphasize the international significance of the works that emerged from these stays, many of which are now housed in the world’s leading art galleries.