Musee Picasso

1. Calder-Picasso Exhibition

Alexander Calder and Pablo Picasso were two of the most creative and innovative figures that still mark their presence in conversations about twentieth-century art. They take the credit for the reinvention of different ways to perceive artistic themes. The similarities in the artworks of these artists, represented by the concept of space and non-space, are the primary reasons why this exhibition proves to be a significant hit. This exhibition usually starts sometime around February and stays on for the next six months.

Run Time: 19 February – 25 August 2019
Timings: 9.30 AM - 4 PM
Price: EUR 14

2. Picasso, Obstinément Méditerranéen - (Picasso, decidedly Mediterranean)

It is an upcoming show that explains Picasso’s link with the Mediterranean area. The richness of his art will be complemented with exceptional audio-visual devices that will add new dimensions to this show. From the landscapes of the port of Barcelona and Malaga to the works of his last years, everything will be witnessed at this exhibition. Past events of the likes of this event, such as “Mediterranee” have seen over three million visitors.

Run Time: 4 June 2019 – 6 October 2019

3. Picasso, Magic Tables

This exhibition is focused on a singular genre of art by Pablo Picasso, most accurately known as the “Magic paintings”. These artworks depict art in the form of strange figures through which Picasso experimented with different plastic forms and added a new chapter to his creation. The Magic Tables exhibition will explain his art with the concepts of surrealism and contemporary psychoanalytic currents. 

Run Time: 1st October 2019 - 23 February 2020

The Hotel Sale is a grandiose 17th-century house based on the Mazarin style- Italian baroque combined with neoclassicism. The facade is featured by sculpted fruits, cherubs and engravings accompanied by a grand central staircase which is based on Michelangelo's plan for the Laurentian Library. Several areas like the attic and the third-floor rooms were initially closed for visitors, but are open now. Extra rooms have also been created by excavation techniques applied on basements and vaulted cellars. The hotel also features a beautiful garden that is lined up with rooms along its length.

The attic's framework is elegantly designed with wood and features the artworks of Picasso's favourite artists such as Rousseau and Derain. The central section of the museum showcases original works of Picasso in sets, pertaining to the different periods that they date back to. The museum also uses cellars which are based on the themes of Picasso's studios, namely photographs, engravings, sculptures and paintings. There is also a regularly running exhibition that changes locations across the museum periodically. The overall design of the Musee Picasso is chronological and thematic, which projects a fanciful yet a minimalistic feel and an aesthetic vibe.

The history of Musee Picasso holds no weight without the history of Pablo Picasso. Pablo Picasso was a Spanish artist who dedicated his life towards sculpting, painting, and in all, creating. He was responsible for bringing about some of the significant changes in the way art, in general, was perceived. Known most popularly for co-founding the Cubist Movement, Picasso spent most of his adult life in France, which ended up becoming the resting place for a considerable portion of his greatest works; The Musee Paris.

After an idea competition involving four architects, the appointment for restoration and refurbishment of hotel Sale was given to architect Ronald Simounet, who furthered through the process between 1979 to 1985.The process underwent many technical difficulties, budget cuts, and successive changes due to which the project met with several reworkings of the original concept established by Ronald Simounet. The Picasso Museum has also undergone a mega-project from 2009 to 2014, that was aimed at expanding the museum, the budget for which was EUR 70 million.

Musee Picasso holds events throughout the year in the form of exhibitions and workshops. The best time to visit this museum would be throughout the year. One might always come across some or the other kind of exhibition upon visiting the Picasso Museum.

The best way to reach Musee Picasso, Paris is via metro (Lines 1, 5 and 8). The nearest metro stations are Saint-Sebastien and Chemin Vert. Tourists may also take the bus (line 20, 29, 65, 75, 69 or 96) to bus stops Saint-Claude or Rue Ville du Temple.