Our
walk in search of traces of Picasso will begin on the
firts floor of number 36 (today number 15). Plaza de la
Merced. There he was born, on the night of October 25th,
1881, surrounded by the paintings of José Ruiz
Blasco, his father, and protected by the arms of his Genoese
mother, María Picasso López.
Today, the walls that saw him come
into the world are those of the Fundación Picasso,
the Casa Natal (Natal House), through which people from
all over the world have passed. The house was built in
1861 by the master builder Diego Clavero. The block around
the monument to General Torrijos is known as the "Casas
de Campos", in memory of the Marquis of Iznate, Antonio
Campos, and of his father, promoter of the construction.
During the Franco years in Spain, the Casa Natal was an
object of confrontation between intellectuals and the
local administration, in oder to recover it and set up
a permanent exhibition there; however, this was not possible
until democracy was well established in Spain.
Crossing the Plaza de la Merced, we find a baroque alley
(C/. Granada) through which Pablito ran towards the jewellery
shop (no. 9-15) owned by his uncle and protector, Mr.
Baldomero Ghiara, or to his father at the Mamely chemist´s
(which still exists) on the corner facing the square.
On this popular Málaga street is the Santiago church,
one of the oldest in Málaga. In its baroque interior
and presided by a Mudejar tower, Pablo Diego José,
Francisco de Paula, Juan Nepomuceno Blasco Barroso y María
de los Remedios Alarcón y Herrera, was christened,
commonly known as Picasso.
Another place often visited by the painter was the La
Malagueta bullring, from which he later took the conception
of the bull which was reflected in his entire works. The
first taurine subjects were "El picador amarillo"
(The yellow picador) 1890, drawings in ink of the bull
and matador, as well as other later bullfighting images.
But he was definitely impressed by a horse gorged by the
attack of a bull, an element that appears in many of his
oil paintings both at the beginning and in his artistic
maturity (Guernica, 1936).
Since
childhood he was unusually interested in artistic creation
and his surroundings, but his age barred him from studying
in the San Telmo Art School, Linear Drawing and Adornment
at the School, located at the Plaza de la Constitución
at the beginning of calle Compañía. The
painter Absorbed much from the Golden Century Málaga
painters: Bernardo Ferrándiz, Muñoz Degrain,
Martinez de la Vega Moreno Carbonero. Meanwhile he had
to continue his studies in the San Rafael school at number
20, calle Comedias.
The private schools was full of memories for the painter.
He sould tell his biographers that he spent hours drawing
and looking out the window, of how he would escape to
visit, right there, the director´s wife and of his
father´s personal objects which he would take to
class: a brush, a dove, a walking stick...; as a guarantee
that at one o´clock he would be there to collect
him. This school later moved to the Plaza de San Francisco,
where the Liceo Artístico y Literario (Artistic
and Letarary Society) were also located. It is in the
Liceo (present day María Cristina music consevatory,
Pza. San Francisco), where his contacts with the Málaga
artistic circle continue. In one of its rooms, called
El Senado (the Senate), the most erudite citizens of the
turn of the century Málaga would gather.
The "rechristening" of Picasso took place then,
this time with champagne and as pagan priest Martínez
de la Vega, and his definitive introducction into the
artistic world. The celebration was due to the young artist´s
(15 years old) success in the 1897 National and Provincial
Fine Arts exhibitions with his work "Science and
Charity".
Ther are other places in Málaga where Picasso left
his mark, such as the old Municipal Museum in the calle
San Agustín or the High School (no. 1 C/. Gaona)
where he sat exams to access the La Coruña High
School. The universal painter made reference to the "tough"
exam he had to pass.
Some of the places of Picasso,s Málaga are still
intact. Others have succumbed to progress. But Pablo would
surely recognise his birthplace and, below the Buenavista
Palace, where he so often went with his father, today
the brand new Museum that proudly bears his universal
name.
:: 1881.
October 25th. Pablo Ruíz Picasso is born on the
1st floor of no. 36, Plaza de la Merced, Málaga.
:: 1889.
He paints his first picture, "Picador".
:: 1891.
September. He goes with his family to La Coruña
due to his father's professional and economical matters.
:: 1895.
They move to Barcelona. Picasso paints his first large
picture "La primera comunión" which would
be presented in the National Fine Arts Exhibition in 1896.
Summers: The painter returns to his native city and leaves
a series of oil paintings, with the Málaga mountains
as main theme.
:: 1899.
He receives honourable mention in the National Fine Arts
Exhibition and gold medal in the Málaga Provincial
Exhibition with his "Ciencia y caridad". His
father makes him a present of his painter's palette, which
would revolutionise twentieth century art.
:: 1900.
He takes part in the Universal Exhibition in Paris with
"Ultimos momentos". He travels to the romantic
French capital and paints his first Parisian work, "Le
Moulin de La Galette".
:: 1901-1904.
Blue period.
:: 1904.
He moves to Paris fianlly.
:: 1905.
Pink period.
:: 1907.
He finishes "Las señoritas de Avignon",
first cubist painting in the history of art.
:: 1910.
He paints "El guitarrista" and creates his first
great cubist sculpture, "Cabeza de mujer".
:: 1911.
He falls in love with Eva Gouel and shows 83 water colours
in New York.
:: 1916.
He begins to desing stages and wardrobes for ballets.
"Las señoritas de Avignon" is exhibited
for the first time.
:: 1927.
Marie-Thérèse Walter, 17 years old, becomes
his lover.
:: 1936.
He begins sharing his life with Dora Maar.
:: 1937.
The "Guernica" appears, pictorial declaration
on the German bombing of the Basque city.
:: 1941.
He begins writing. He composes a surrealist theatre piece
in sic acts "El deseo atrapado por la cola"
(Desire trapped by the tail).
:: 1957.
He begins to make variations on "Las Meninas"
by his beloved Diego de Velázquez.
:: 1961.
He marries Jacqueline Roque. 80th birthday.
:: 1964.
Francoise Guilot, former lover, publishes her memories.
:: 1973.
He dies due to a lung edema.
