PICASSO AT THE TATE MODERN: A YEAR IN THE ARTIST’S LIFE

1932 was, for Pablo Picasso, a year of intense passion and creativity. And this summer, London’s Tate Modern is dedicating an entire exhibition to the works produced during this period: Picasso 1932 – Love, Fame, Tragedy will run until September 9.

It was Christmas of 1931 that triggered this period of frenzied creation for Picasso; trapped in a loveless marriage to wife Olga Khokhlova, his studio became an outlet for his frustration. He began producing works that spotlighted a nude female figure, with delicate lilac skin captured from an intimate perspective. This figure was Marie-Thérèse Walter, Picasso’s clandestine lover of just 22 years old – and in the new exhibition, the artist’s three portraits of her will be displayed together for the first time since their creation in March 1932.

Picasso himself believed creative works to be a kind of diary for the artist, and with over 100 paintings, sculptures and drawings being exhibited, guests will be allowed an intimate glimpse into the turbulent private life of the painter. Whilst passion and love may be the focus of this collection, the year also marked a time of pain for Picasso, as Walter contracted a grave illness after swimming in a contaminated river. The Rescue, painted in November 1932, is thought to reflect the tragedy of this event, and depicts a woman, illustrated in the signature lilac reserved for his young lover, being saved from drowning.

The display, curated by Achim Borchadt-Hume, Nancy Ireson, Laura Bruni and Juliette Rizzi, marks the first time that the Tate Modern has dedicated an entire exhibition to the Spanish artist. Tickets for the event are available to purchase now on the Tate’s website, and entry is free for members of the gallery.

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