VMFA TO PRESENT 'PICASSO: MASTERPIECES FROM THE MUSEE NATIONAL PICASSO, PARIS'

THE VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HAS RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THE MOST IMPORTANT EXHIBITION IN ITS HISTORY, 'PICASSO: MASTERPIECES FROM THE MUSEE NATIONAL PICASSO, PARIS'. VMFA IS THE EXCLUSIVE EAST COAST VENUE FOR THE EXHIBITION'S SEVEN CITY INTERNATIONAL TOUR. THE EXHIBITION, WHICH WILL BE ON VIEW FROM 19.FEBRUARY.2011 THROUGH 15.MAY.2011, IS CO-ORGANIZED BY THE MUSEE NATIONAL PICASSO, PARIS AND THE VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS. DRAWN FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE MUSEE NATIONAL PICASSO IN PARIS, THE LARGEST AND MOST SIGNIFICANT REPOSITORY OF THE ARTIST'S WORK IN THE WORLD, THE EXHIBITION REPRESENTS WORKS PRODUCED DURING EVERY MAJOR ARTISTIC PERIOD OF PABLO PICASSO'S EIGHT-DECADE CAREER. IT INCLUDES 176 WORKS FROM PICASSO'S PERSONAL COLLECTION, ART THAT HE KEPT FOR HIMSELF WITH THE PURPOSE OF SHAPING HIS OWN LEGACY. IN ADDITION TO SHOWCASING SOME OF PICASSO'S MOST OUTSTANDING WORKS, THE EXHIBITION TELLS A COMPELLING STORY ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ARTIST'S CAREER, HIS ARTISTIC INSPIRATIONS, AND HIS PROFOUND IMPACT ON MODERN ART. THE EXHIBITION WILL SHOWCASE MOMENTS AND ART THE DEFINED PICASSO'S EARLY CAREER, INCLUDING A DEATHBED PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST'S CLOSE FRIEND CARLOS CASAGEMAS. HIS FRIEND'S SUICIDE PARTIALLY INFLUENCED PICASSO'S FAMED BLUE PERIOD, DEFINED BY SOMBER PAINTINGS IN SHADES OF BLUE AND GREEN. CELESTINA (THE WOMAN WITH ONE EYE), A MASTERPIECE FROM THE BLUE PERIOD, WILL BE FEATURED IN THE EXHIBITION.