Málaga is the city that witnessed the birth of Pablo Ruiz Picasso. The first years of his life were spent in the city and in the Plaza de la Merced, where he whiled away his childhood hours by drawing. Some of the recurring themes in his work come directly from his childhood in Málaga: the doves, his love of flamenco and the bulls in La Malagueta.
A route around Picasso's Málaga
The first stop on your tour of Picasso's Málaga is the Plaza de la Merced, where the painter was born on 25 October 1881. There you can find the house where he was born, which is now the Picasso Foundation Birthplace Museum, dedicated to the artist and his life. His father, who taught in the Málaga School of Fine Arts, was a key influence. Thanks to him, the young Picasso grew up surrounded by the city's artistic atmosphere and learnt the necessary techniques.
Another stop is the Church of Santiago, beside the Plaza de la Merced, where the painter was baptised.
Calle San Agustín was where he painted one of his earliest works, Vista del Puerto de Málaga (1890). The Buenavista Palace, in the same street, today houses the Málaga Picasso Museum, with a variety of works that showcase the painter's leading role as the creator of cubism.
Particular highlights amongst the works on display are Madre y niño, Mujer con los brazos levantados, Naturaleza muerta, Bañista y Jacqueline sentada. This museum was created in response to the painter's wish that his work be displayed in the city of his birth.
