Picasso's masterpieces

As Picasso's UAE exhibition draws to a close, Friday takes a look at a few of the works on display.

"I don't say everything, but I paint everything," said Pablo Picasso, the legendary painter whose work continues to serve as an inspiration to artists across the globe.

A collection of 186 Picasso creations – including paintings, sculptures, sketches, prints and photographs – is being exhibited at the Emirates Palace Hotel's Gallery One until September 4.

Under the patronage of General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the exhibition was flown in from The Musée National Picasso in Paris.

The Parisian gallery was founded in 1985 to display works procured through donations in lieu of taxes paid to the French government in 1979 by the artist's heirs.

Curator Anne Baldassari, a renowned Picasso scholar and the director of Musée National Picasso in Paris, has arranged the artworks chronologically in six rooms to give viewers an easy-to-understand retrospective of the master's work. Many of the artworks on display are accompanied by his preliminary sketches, allowing the viewer to better understand Picasso's artistic process.

Rita Aoun, cultural adviser at the Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC), explains, "The exhibition is part of our strategy to create awareness about the Saadiyat Island's Cultural District, which will be ready in a few years' time. In the meantime, we are hosting such exhibitions to prepare UAE residents for further cultural visits."

The focus of the exhibition is to study, know and closely understand Picasso's artwork, and a trip to the gallery will give you a well-rounded understanding of his artistic styles. With works dating from 1901 to 1973, the viewer gains insight into his Blue Period, Rose Period, African Period, Cubist Period, post World War One Classical and Surrealism periods and later works that commemorate the art of masters like Goya and Velásquez.

If you haven't made the trip to the Emirates Palace to see this impressive collection, you still have time: Gallery One will keep its doors open from 10am to 10pm and Tuesdays are reserved for ladies only. Don't miss out!