Barcelona's Picasso Museum unveils exhibition on Catalan artists in Paris

The Picasso Museum in Barcelona will unveil on Friday a groundbreaking exhibition dedicated to Catalan artists who lived and worked in Paris during its artistic heyday in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The exhibition, titled 'From Montmartre to Montparnasse,' opens with Paris emerging as a global art capital, highlighted by key moments like the 1899 Exposition Universelle, which unveiled the Eiffel Tower and marked the centenary of the French Revolution.

In the decades that followed, hundreds of Catalan artists flocked to Paris, drawn by the city’s promise of freedom and modernity.

All of the city's cultural activity took place in the Montmartre and Montparnasse districts, which are the focus of the exhibition.

Many artists of the era lived and worked in the neighborhoods, creating a vibrant cultural scene that shaped future generations of art.

Among them were three generations of Catalan artists and nearly all of them are featured in the exhibition.

The exhibition showcases 200 works by more than 80 artists, from the iconic Pablo Picasso to lesser-known talents.

Eliseu Trenc, one of the curators, explains that the aim of the exhibition was to focus on all artists, especially the "forgotten" ones. 

"We've put a lot of thought into recovering these unknown artists and revisiting the art history of this period," he told Catalan News. 

Among some of the biggest Catalan names are Santiago Rusiñol, Ramon Casas, Isidre Nonell, and even composer Pau Casals.

Through contributions from writers, musicians and journalists, the exhibition offers a rich insight into the influence of the Catalan community on Parisian culture.

 

The exhibition also reflects on the outbreak of World War I in 1945, a turning point that darkened the artistic spirit of the Belle Epoque and marked the end of this golden era.

Visitors can explore the exhibition at the Museu Picasso in Barcelona from November 22 to March 30, 2025.