Picasso - El Greco

Exhibition at the Kunstmuseum, Basel, 11 June - 25 September 2022

El Greco's (1541-1614) unmistakable painting style won him considerable fame in his day. Soon after his death, however, his work was largely forgotten. It was only around 1900 that an El Greco revival was launched, with Picasso (1881-1973) advancing the cause. His engagement with the Greek-Spanish master not only went far deeper than has previously been assumed but also lasted much longer. From his first encounter with El Greco's works shortly before 1900 until the end of his life, Picasso not only referenced but engaged in a fascinating artistic dialogue with the old master.

This publication brings Picasso's encounter with El Greco (1541-1614). Some 40 carefully chosen juxtapositions of masterpieces by both artists trace a dialogue that ranks among the most fascinating in art history.

For this exhibition, the Kunstmuseum, that houses the oldest public art collection in the world, brings together prestigious loans from around the world with a core group of Picasso's works from its own collection.