Picasso's early work at the Sainsbury Centre in Norwich

How did Picasso go from talented young man to leader of Modern Art in Paris? At the Sainsbury Centre in Norwich, Pablo Picasso: The Legacy of Youth traces this journey through works created between 1896 and 1914. From March 13 to July 17, 2022, rarely exhibited paintings and drawings will be on view alongside better-known early works. Picasso, who along with Georges Braque is considered a co-founder of the style-defining Cubism, appropriated all developments in art as a young man: From Impressionism and Symbolism to artistic expressions from diverse cultures worldwide. By closely observing social and artistic upheavals, Picasso was able to shape his style, which continues to have a significant influence on the art world today.

The curator of the exhibition, Paul Greenhalgh, emphasizes the importance of this creative period for Picasso's œuvre, whose most famous works were created primarily after 1914: »We tend to forget that Picasso wasn’t simply a figurehead of the Modern Age. He grew up in the 19th century: the extraordinary mixture of values that was fin de siècle Europe penetrated deep into his personality, remaining with him through his life. While he was the quintessential Modern in so many ways, he was also a Victorian, and this duality explains the complexity of his genius.«