Pablo Picasso's Best Friend

     In Sierra Norte of Madrid, there is a small town but when it is compared to its neighbours, a big one, called Buitrago Del Lozoya. It is surrounded by a river which makes the look a bit magical from some points outside and still keeps its medieaval castle and walls. This is the town where Picasso's barber Eugenio Arias is from. Even though not many people even from Madrid don't know, there is a museum of Picasso in this little big town which is one of the main attractions. In the museum, a collection of  Picasso is exhibited but the works are the ones that are not known and were given by Picasso's himself as gift to Eugenio Arias. 

Picasso's wife Jacqueline Roque, Picasso and Arias

    The collection consists of some posters, paintings, ceramics and paintings on ceramics,books and some decorations on boxes with the theme of bullfighting, Don Quijote. When compared to Picasso's famous works, these works do not grab much attention and seem rather simple and one can say that these were made with a little care. But one can also say that these works include intimacy. The works invite the viewer to take a look at more personal side of Pablo Picasso. He signed his works by writing ''para mi amigo Arias'' in english ''For my friend, Arias.'' And there is a quotation from Arias that defines their friendship: ''Nothing is more valuable in this world than that which cannot be bought: respect, friendship, trust and loyalty.'' 

    According to the flyer I got from the museum, two friends met first in Toulouse, France in 1945 through a left wing freedom fighter, Dolores Ibarrui who is called as La Pasionari, and they kept their friendship for so many years. They shared the common political ideas, love for Spain. Arias, who was the only person that cut Picasso's hair maybe because of Picasso's supersititous nature, called Picasso as ''his second father.'' Today the gifts that Arias received would cost million dollars yet he preferred them to be exhibited in that little big town. They attract tourists, art lovers and contribute to the town's economy. And the townhall immortalized him by naming the library after him.

Here are  some of his works.

There are of course a lot of more photos in my folder. But maybe not seeing them here is a reason to visit the museum. And to make the post shorter... 

The End.