Art

An Art Travel Guide: Picasso Comes Home to Madrid

Museums love anniversaries. Pablo Picasso is offering Madrid, Spain a real treat: 125 years since he was born; and 25 years since “Guernica,” his famous illustration of the Spanish Civil War painting, arrived in Madrid after a long exile in New York.

Picasso and his life and works deserve a look back. “Picasso: Tradition and Avant-Garde,” which runs through Sept. 3, will be displayed at both the Prado and the Reina Sofía Museum, Madrid’s principal gallery for modern and contemporary art.

Since Picasso died in France in 1973, Spain has yearned to reclaim its most famous 20th-century artist. Picasso never set foot in his homeland since 1934 mainly because of his nemesis, Dictator Gen. Francisco Franco. While his paintings are in museums and collections around the world, there are still relatively few in Spain itself.

Even though Picasso lived most of his life outside of Spain he remained profoundly Spanish. He was most influenced by the great Spanish artists.

So, after a long period, Picasso is coming home, if you have the time and extra cash, take a quick trip down to Madrid and enjoy this very special exhibition.