An exhibition in Spain delves into the complex relationship between Picasso and the Christian religion

A new exhibition titled "Picasso. Radici Bibliche" (Picasso. Biblical Roots) has opened in the cloisters of the Cathedral of Santa Maria in Burgos, Spain, exploring the complex relationship between Pablo Picasso and Christianity. Organized in collaboration with the Almine and Bernard Ruiz-Picasso Foundation, the show features 44 works—paintings, drawings, and small sculptures—many from the foundation's collection and some never publicly displayed before. The exhibition is curated by Paloma Alarcó and includes loans from the Museo Picasso Barcelona, Musée Picasso Paris, Museo Reina Sofía, and the Monastery of Montserrat. It is structured chronologically across six thematic sections—Education, Maternity, Vanitas, Golgotha, Vera Icon, and Hope—to highlight Christian symbols in Picasso's work.

This exhibition matters because it addresses a previously underexplored aspect of Picasso's oeuvre: his engagement with Catholic iconography and spirituality, despite his personal atheism. By situating the show within a historic Gothic cathedral—a UNESCO World Heritage site—the curators offer a fresh interpretive lens that challenges conventional secular readings of the artist. The initiative, driven by Picasso's grandson Bernard Ruiz-Picasso, also draws on family archives, including photographs from Picasso's 1934 trip to Burgos, adding a personal and historical dimension. The exhibition underscores how Picasso continually appropriated Western artistic traditions, including sacred art, even during his most avant-garde periods.