Recently I spent some time travelling around Europe so thought it would be good to share some highlights from places I visited synonymous with 3 significant past legends. Malaga Spain the birthplace of Pablo Picasso; Barcelona Spain the hometown of Antoni Gaudi; and Arles France the inspiration for many of Vincent Van Gogh’s works. Over the next 3 posts, I will reveal insights into these legends and places I discovered during my trip.
MALAGA THE BIRTHPLACE OF PABLO PICASSO
It is in Malaga that Pablo Picasso, the greatest Spanish painter welcomes you with an open heart. I was eager to meet him at his home, therefore I chose to visit the house where he was born. It has now been turned into a museum, meant to keep his memories alive and allow future generations to learn more about this great man. Here, I saw how his style had evolved over the years. As an artist, it was a moving event, one that can be described as connecting and uplifting. I would recommend a self-guided tour where you can listen to an audio narration at the house and the museum.
Birthplace of Pablo Picasso From the narration, one learns that Pablo Picasso is famous for his cubism style. However, that is not where he started. It is said that his father, Don José Ruiz y Blasco was a great influence. He was an established realist artist. This is where Pablo began. However, Pablo explored alternative styles, something that his father did not agree with. This disappointed Pablo’s father.
The birthplace of Picasso not only reveals the information about how Pablo started but also shows his family and how they lived. Artwork from both father and son is displayed. You will see unique clay sculptures and works which were influenced by bullfighting.
Just outside the house is a little park called Plaza de la Merced. Here, Picasso has been sculpted, seated on a bench. I couldn’t waste the opportunity, I had to sit by the master and have my photo taken. This is something that will remind me of the exhilarating moments I spent exploring the home and birthplace of one of the world’s greatest painters.
MUSEO PICASSO MALAGA
Pablo Picasso – Bull’s head. Courtesy of www.PabloPicasso.org From the home of Picasso, I visited the place where Picasso’s work is housed, Museo Picasso Malaga. Here, I found two floors that were dedicated to Picasso’s work. He is said to have produced approximately 50,000 works of art in his career. Here, I saw his works from the time he was 14 up into his later years. One of the things that struck me was his need to use recycled items. Things that other people thought were useless Pablo turned into magnificent art. He would pick up used pencils and brushes and turn them into useful tools. The most iconic recycled artwork Picasso ever created would have to be his bulls head sculpture made from a bicycle seat and handlebars. Simple, but effective, something that illustrates his fascination with bullfighting.
Malaga is a place you should visit, and while you are there you should visit Picasso’s birthplace. There is a lot to learn and enjoy. After you have seen what Picasso was all about, you will be excited to learn about the mesmerizing architecture of Barcelona, and the man behind it, Gaudi.
Read my other blogs from this trip: Barcelona to explore Gaudi architecture and Arles in France where Vincent van Gogh painted so many wonderful works.
Finally here is a great book I can recommend: A life of Picasso. The author John Richardson, a close friend of Picasso, provides insights into the man and his family with an access all areas account of his life.