Picasso: The Mediterranean Years (1945-1961)

This latest Picasso exhibition features a coming together of pieces provided by the Picasso family. These works offer a chance to see a more private side to Pablo Picasso and his practice, and features paintings, sculptures, prints and ceramics. During post-war years Picasso began to spend more and more time in the South of France drawing on the Mediterranean influences that had first begun to inspire him. His return to the Mediterranean marked a change in his work and a return to family life that inspired his practice. In the 1950s his sculpture work evolved and he expanded into ceramics, lithography, printing and graphic design techniques. He also revisited more classic styles, inspired at the time by Delacroix's Women Of Algiers. It was around this time that Picasso fathered two more children and this is shown in his paintings featuring youngsters posing either with their mother, Picasso's student Francoise Gilot, or the woman he later married, Jacqueline Roque. This unique collection of works is a testament to the many ways in which a prolific artist's style can be influenced by their surroundings and circumstances. For those who still wish to learn more about the fascinating character that was Pablo Picasso this exhibition provides a wealth of insight.