Jean Metzinger, “The Sphinx”, 1928, collection Oscar Ghez, Petit Palais, Geneva

It is an interesting historical exercise, that Juliette Pozzo and Giovanni Casini (who wrote his dissertation on Rosenberg) have produced at Musée Picasso. They recreated Léonce Rosenberg‘s 360 squ. m decors for his apartment (in 1928 and 1929), at 75 rue de Longchmap. Commissioned especially from 12 artists, the paintings made by Giorgio de Chirico, Francis Picabia, Fernand Léger, Max Ernest… for this famous art dealer, are extremely surprising. Sadly, after the financial crisis, he had to sell everything and the works were dispersed. The two young curators found them in their new homes and hung them together again. Upstairs, the permanent collection is now hanging in a very clear way, with a variety of chefs d’oeuvre from all of Picasso’s lives. It is the director Cécile Debray‘s decision and it is very successful!

A wall of Picassos with “Glass and Pipe”, 1918, “Pipe, Glass and playing card”, 1918, “Back from the Christening, after Le Nain”, 1917, “Man with Pipe”, 1914, the three baigneuses, 1923, Corrida, 1923-1924, Polichinelle and Harlequin, 1920

In the first room a wall is covered with Picasso paintings and drawings which date from the time when the art dealer represented him. The great Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler had to leave Paris during WWI because he was German and Rosenberg immediately bought “Harlequin” in 1915 and Picasso drew a few portraits of him. We then enter the “apartment”. Giorgio de Chirico occupies the hallway, Jean Metzinger the Grand Salon, Georges Valmier the dining room, Auguste Herbin (who is having a show at Musée de Montmartre on the 14 th) the Fumoir, Francis Picabia, Madame’s bedroom, Amédée Ozenfant and Manuel Rendon Seminario, Monsieur’s bedroom. The children Lucienne, Jacqueline and Madeleine, have Alberto Savinio, Albert Gleizes and Gino Severini and Max Ernst in their bedrooms.

Jean Viollier, “The Boat of Paradise”, 1929, collection Oscar Ghez, Petit Palais, Geneva

I did not particularly like the Picabia room, but “Fleurs de Neige” by Max Ernst is very decorative and Alberto Savinio’s “le Gîte des Promesses” is electrical! “The Four seasons” by Fernand Léger was lent by Basel’s Kunstmuseum and Albert Gleizes’ “Painting” by Centre Pompidou to whom Lucienne Rosenberg had left it (until May 19).

Francis Picabia, “Myrtil”, 1929, private colection

To celebrate the 10 th anniversary of the  reopening of Musée Picasso, 400 works  by the master are exhibited in 22 rooms on three floors. From 1895 in Barcelona at night, to 1906 in Paris when he meets Henri Matisse and Gertrude Stein, to cubism, and until 1973, the date of his death, a chronological exhibition of Picasso’s works is most welcome after the museum was emptied of its collections by Sophie Calle. All the works presented here were given by the family. They will move around a bit on different themes over future years.

” The Young Painter”, Mougins, 14 April 1972, was painted one year before he died. Dation Pablo Picasso

All teh curators of teh museum took part in the new hanging  and in the writing of the cartels which are voluntarily more didactic based on thorough research. His beautiful blue self portrait of 1901 hangs in the first room. Then follows the beautiful portrait of Gustave Coquiot also from 1901. A room with “Paul as Harlequin”, “Man with the fireplace” and the portrait of “Olga Khokhlova in an armchair” is exceptionnaly beautiful . And I saw for the first time a small “Baigneuses ” from summer 1918, which I loved. In the same room hangs a “Cinq Baigneuses” by Cézanne which belonged to Picasso. What a good idea to hang them together! A little bronze of a baigneuse made in 1931 in Boidgeloup, sits in a small room on the same floor where you can listen to musical pieces.

Les Baigneuses, Biarritz, summer 1918, Nation Palbo Picasso

Upstairs, an abstract guitar from 1926made of wood, canvas, string and nails is also superb. A wall of 14 Dora Maar’s portraits  is striking, And then we walk int a small attic room devote to Françoise Gilot, who died last June and was  Picasso’s companion  between 1943 and 1953. She later moved to the US  and married Jonas Salk, the inventor of the polio vaccine, in 1970. There she was well known as an artist and not as Picasso’s lover, as Cécile Debray reminded us, and her  “Cuisine provençale”  and “la Salade” from 1950 and 1951 are excellent.

Françoise Gilot, “La Salade”, 1950, private collection

I tis such a pleasure and a relief to return to Musée Picasso and actually get to see his paintings after a three months void due to Sophie Calle! The hanging is very elegant and you are not overwhelmed by too many works. This is again a place where you can take your children (they have special cartels at their height) and enjoy the beauty of Hotel Salé!