Spain is a country, a part of the European continent, both of which are over flowing with museums, living and/or established specifically this purpose. So why do I single out this average size museum amongst all the living Castles and large museums with very recognizable names. Could this be due to the single artist that this museum represents? Or is it possibly due to the 3,500 works that make up its permanent collection. As you read on, the answers should become crystal clear.

To fully understand an artist, Pablo Ruiz Picasso, and why his art pieces are associated with such a continually increasing demand while the supply remains finite, then The Picasso Museum in Barcelona becomes indispensable. This Museum is also key point in understanding Picasso's genius as a young artist along with his solid and intimate relationship developed with the City of Barcelona. This relationship that was originally shaped in Picasso's adolescence and youth, continued until his death in 1973.

The museum boasts, and rightly so, to have acquired the most complete collection of Picasso's youthful works found under one roof, that remains open and available for the visual consumption of the general public. Barcelona must thank a friend of the artist, Jaume Sabartes, along with Picasso's wishes, which were made very clear in 1970 with his own donation of all his early works to this museum. This very large donation now makes up a large part of the museum's present total collection, which includes representations of every period of the Artist's life, up to his death in 1973.

The museum also possesses a large and fairly complete representation of his works starting with an important chapter in Picasso's life. This chapter begins in 1917, the year that the artist met Olga Kokhova, kicking off his most important relationship with a mate. At this point, to stay with Olga, the artist went to Rome along with the Diaguilev's ballet company. Later, Picasso, with Olga at his side, traveled to Barcelona. The purpose of this trip was to introduce her to his Spanish based family.

His stay in Barcelona was long. This period was marked by his transition from Cubism to the reencounter with classicism. The museum also has a priceless group of works from his later Blue Period.

Therefore, I hope that after reading my short article, the traveler can appreciate how a visit to this exciting and cosmopolitan city of Barcelona cannot be considered as worth mentioning without highlighting a crucial visit to one of the most important 20th century born European museums, The Picasso Museum In Barcelona.