Picasso’s work in Catalonia
In Catalonia you can see works by Picasso from his own collection or in temporary exhibitions away from his museum. There are also drawings, paintings and ceramics by the artist in other museums around the country.
National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC) (Barcelona)
The Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC), housed in the Palau Nacional in Montjuïc, brings together the world’s leading collection of Catalan art from Romanesque to Catalan Art Nouveau with works by Picasso, Gaudí, Casas, Miró and Rusiñol. Picasso’s paintings on display include Woman in Hat and Fur Collar (Marie-Thérèse Walter), Portraits and Self-Portraits, The Learning of the Artist and The Academy.
Barcelona Design Museum
The Museu del Disseny de Barcelona was set up by bringing together the collections of the Decorative Arts Museum, Textiles and Clothing Museum, Ceramics Museum and Graphic Arts Museum. It exhibits 16 ceramic pieces by the artist which he donated and will take centre stage in the exhibition Picasso and Spanish ceramics which is being held in 2023 to mark the fiftieth anniversary of his death. The vases, jugs and tiles are mainly decorated with mythology and bullfighting motifs.
Montserrat Museum
Montserrat is art and culture both inside and out. Its museum, declared a Museum of National Interest in 2006, was designed by Catalan Art Nouveau architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch and built between 1928 and 1933. It hosts six very different collections and over 1,300 artworks covering a long timeline and featuring a wide range of artists including Fortuny, Rusiñol, Casas, Nonell, Anglada Camarasa, Picasso and Dalí. Here you can see paintings by Picasso such as The Old Fisherman and The Altar Boy.
Cau Ferrat (Sitges)
Cau Ferrat Museum, the house-atelier of painter and writer Santiago Rusiñol, exhibits five drawings, including Two Female Figures: Tavern Fauna and Two Women Dancing, and three original paintings including the oil painting The Bullfight. Rusiñol’s personal collection was the outcome of his friendship with Picasso. When Picasso moved to Barcelona he was a student of Fine Arts while Rusiñol was already an acclaimed artist. Indeed, he bought these drawings from Picasso at that time and became one of the first collectors of Picasso’s work.
Solsona Diocesan and County Museum
The museum is also taking part in the tribute to Picasso and in 2024 will host the exhibition Picasso. Catalan territory, customs and popular traditions. It will feature works of art and documentary material on loan from the Picasso Museum in Barcelona. Its purpose is to show how Picasso saw culture and interacted with Catalan territory. You can also level up your visit by taking in the museum’s large collection of art pieces from the Neolithic period to the 20th century.
Abelló Museum (Mollet del Vallès)
The Museu Abelló in Mollet del Vallès is one of the most eclectic and little-known museums in Catalonia. Joan Abelló was a painter and collector, a local man who amassed a large number of art works and objects. To hold his huge collection he bought up 11 houses adjoining his own to build the museum which hosts all his pieces. It is a magical setting featuring painted ceilings, walls covered with artworks, miniatures, porcelain, paintings and sculptures by outstanding 19th and 20th century artists such as Joaquim Mir, Sorolla, Brossa and Dalí. One of these pieces is a portrait of Joan Abelló painted by Picasso.