Rare Picasso works arrive in Astana for exhibition

The exhibition is organized by Lumiere-Hall International Museum, featuring 51 lithographs by the master from private collections in Germany, Belgium, and France.

The museum waited almost a year to lease the works, said Lumiere-Hall co-founder Maxim Yegarmin.

"Picasso was incredibly popular during his lifetime, and everyone wanted to own his works. He merely didn't have time to paint them all in oils. That's where lithographs come in; they're made on special presses and are now called 'prints'. They are created in a specific, limited series, which is why they are so valuable. They are signed, and only a few companies in the world produce them," he noted.

According to Yegarmin, the collection is unique because it reflects the various stages of Picasso's career, from the classical school to Minimalism and Cubism.

The exhibition includes the "Barcelona Blue" series, which focuses on scenes of everyday life, as well as materials illustrating the creation of his famous painting, "Guernica."

The "Papier-Collé" series reveals the artist's approach to Cubism. A separate section of the exhibition is devoted to his post-war period and his fascination with bullfighting. The exhibition concludes with the "War and Peace" series.

The exhibition previously took place in Almaty. According to Yegarmin, the portraits of Picasso's women drew the most interest from visitors there.

"Here you can see four portraits of his former wives," the museum's co-founder said. "He lived a very long life, to the age of 92. He had quite a difficult character, but he was incredibly productive as he created more than 20,000 works during his lifetime."

The exhibition will be on view till November 9 at the Kulanshi Art Gallery. The museum also plans to host a series of lectures on Picasso's life and art.

Last year, Salvador Dali’s works were also exhibited in Astana.