Although Picasso never visited Cyprus, his relationship with Cypriot antiquities is especially revealing. The artist learned about these works through European museum collections, such as those of the Louvre, and specialized publications of his time.

The main thread of the exhibition is the reflection on the way Pablo Picasso grasped the formal and symbolic aspects of pre-classical Cypriot art. It is not a simple formal appropriation, but a deep fascination for the hybridization of styles and for the creativity of this ancient art, characterized by the fusion of human and animal figures, as well as by a unique playful and expressive character.

The exhibition will present a selection of works from museums and collections from all over Europe, including a significant representation of the collections of the Picasso Museum in Barcelona and the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus.

**Curator: **

curated by Emmanuel Guigon, Androula Michael and Efthymia Alphas, archaeologist and head of the Museum of Cyprus, with the participation of Eftychia Zachariou, curator of the DoA