Malaga through the eyes of Picasso
Nothing else, but the day that José Ruiz and María Picasso baptized their son, they were very comfortable: Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz and Picasso —And here one must confess that she has had to consult Google more than once and twice until she was able to write it correctly— was the name given to her firstborn when he opened his eyes for the first time on October 25, 1881.
They say that his cries were heard from outside his house at 36 Plaza de Riego, today transformed into the romantic Plaza de la Merced and one of the emblems of the Malacitana capital. Although at that time nobody had the slightest suspicion, obviously, that a universal genius had been born.
The point is that despite the fact that Picasso only lived in Malaga for his first ten years He —later he left with his family for A Coruña and only returned on five specific occasions—, this was more than enough time for him to soak up those roots of southern flavor that he, in one way or another, he always kept with him.
The artist, who marked a before and after in the history of Western culture, started his own in front of the Mediterranean, among the alleys of the heart of Malaga and under the imposing light that Andalusia gives off.
'Malaga loves art', in Malaga's Soho
LETS START BY THE BEGINNING
Hotels, souvenir shops full of souvenirs, restaurants or cafes: the name of Picasso appears on every corner when walking through the capital of Malaga revealing the immense pride with which the citizens boast of their most illustrious neighbor.
On a facade of modern Soho, the city vindicates its love for art —Malaga Loves Art— with Picasso as its flag. Together with him, Marisol, Banderas, or Chiquito de la Calzada himself force the message.
However, to honor him —really in a good way—, his thing is to start this route where it all began: in Mercy Square , the same one where he held his first childhood games, is located the sculpture that Francisco López dedicated to him in 2008.
sitting on a bench, As if contemplating the passage of time, Picasso waits for those who dare to keep him company before continuing on his way. Road that, in our case, has a new stop a little further on.
Picasso's Malaga
Because precisely the birthplace of the artist —today number 15 of La Merced— is currently the foundation that bears his name: Picasso Foundation-National House Museum. A necessary visit to understand his origins and those of his family, of bourgeois essence, who rented the second floor of the building in which they are exhibited today at the end of the 19th century. utensils, photographs and personal belongings of the Ruiz Picasso family.
Among the jewels treasured by some of the rooms spread over the other floors —the foundation gradually conquered the land— there from valuable ceramics made by the artist to the preparatory sketchbooks he made for Las Señoritas de Avignon. Also books illustrated by him and other greats such as Miró or Chagall, and even an interesting collection of lithographs.
Before continuing on the path, a little stop at the corner of La Merced with the central Granada street makes us run into the Church of Santiago, from 1490 and the first Christian after the conquest of the city by the Catholic Monarchs. We are left with its historical importance, but also with another detail: It is the temple in which Pablo Ruiz Picasso was baptized a few days after being born.
front to front, a plaque recalls, on the facade of the pharmacy that belonged to the Mamely family, that José Ruiz, the artist's father, used to meet with his friends and colleagues in that apothecary in weekly gatherings to talk about the mundane and the divine or, what is the same, about the arts and life in Malaga. Opened in 1739, it is not only an iconic place in the life of Picasso: it is also a full-fledged architectural relic.
Picasso's birthplace in the Plaza de la Merced
FROM BREED IT COMES TO THE GREYHOUND...
And it is that if there was someone who influenced Picasso to develop that artistic vein from a very young age, that was his father. Professor of linear drawing at the San Telmo School of Fine Arts —today the Malaga Athenaeum— and curator of the Malaga Municipal Museum, José Ruiz Blasco knew how to see in his son the great potential with which, at only 8 years old and after accompanying him to some other bullfight in the Malagueta —here another important stop on the route— he painted one of his distinguished works —and from which he never wanted to separate—: El picador amarillo. How could the bullfighting world not end up becoming a constant in his work?
Pablo also used to accompany him to the study-dovecot that he had on San Agustín street, in the building of the Convent of the Augustinians that became the seat, some time later, of the city council itself.
As a nod to that space of intimacy and inspiration, On the top floor of the neighboring and mythical Bodega El Pimpi they have a room that they have called El Palomar de Picasso. Of course: here instead of brushes and color palettes, some local wine and some delicious fried anchovies are dropped, since we are in the south for a reason.
El Pimpi, the classic among the classics
Bullfighting celebrations and various tapas aside, it is curious that just an adjoining building on the same Calle San Agustín —the one with the dovecote—, the Palacio de Buenavista, now home to the wonderful Picasso Museum.
A temple to genius that since it opened its doors back in 2003 by his daughter-in-law and his grandson —Christine and Bernard Ruiz-Picasso— has not stopped receiving visitors of those interested in knowing a little more —or rather, much more— about the artist's legacy. It was Picasso's own wish, by the way, that his work be present in the city where he was born.
And what is there to see here? Well, you should rather ask yourself what there is not to see: a collection of works of art ranging from oil paintings to drawings, sculptures, ceramics and all kinds of graphic work by the artist and that it represents the different stages through which he went through his creative repertoire.
Courtyard of the Picasso Museum
More than 230 works that demonstrate, once again, his extraordinary artistic qualities: they are reflected in them from his relationship with Malaga to the one he had with his models; from his sensitivity to pain and inequality to his attachment to the family; from his way of interpreting still lifes, landscapes or nudes to, of course, his historical importance as the creator of cubism. A full-fledged time travel by his own hand, can you ask for more?
Works such as Seated Jacqueline, Musketeer with Sword, Woman with Raised Arms or Acrobat are just some of those that can be admired in the museum, whose collection spans eight decades of his work.
The best? The value of the space does not remain only in the permanent, but also in what flows: the temporary exhibitions and events that are organized in its space are the most diverse and have allowed bring great names such as Giacometti, Warhol or Pollock, to name just three of them, to this little corner of the hometown of the artist.
'Nude lying down with cat'
ENDING THE ROUTE
Although visiting the Picasso Museum is already a great end to the party, we come up and add a couple more locations to our picassian journey.
One of them is located at number 20 Calle Comedias: where today there is an apartment building, in the past there was the old Colegio de San Rafael, which was attended by a young Picasso. It is said, as a curiosity, that for fear that one day they would forget to pick it up, he always carried with him some object of his father, such as a brush.
The artist also walked along Gaona street, specifically by the Instituto de Segunda Enseñanza —at that time known as that of Vicente Espinel—.
Formerly it had been a Philippine convent —its balcony patio surrounded by arches and Tuscan columns is a beauty—, and He went to him to be examined to be able to access the institute in October 1891, just before leaving with his family for Galicia. That exam —which, in case anyone was wondering, he passed— it consisted of a small dictation and a division, and is still extant with his signature.
Something further, already on the outskirts of the historic center, are the Gardens of Picasso, a tribute that the city paid to his favorite son for the centenary of his birth.
Among centennial ficus, jacarandas and tropical plants, a sculpture, Siéxtasis by Miguel Ortiz Berrocal, once again honors that genius that he knew and wanted to proudly carry the name of Malaga throughout the world.
It is not surprising that here, in his land, and more than 100 years later, the imposing imprint of Picasso still remains present.
Siéxtasis, by Miguel Ortiz Berrocal