How can you best understand one of the most prolific, complex and influential painters of the 20th century? By taking just ten of Picasso’s paintings this lecture will examine his life and attempt to explain the evolution of his painting styles through a career that spanned more than seventy years. Looking at the genesis of each work, examining its biographical meaning, its moment in history and its significance in the canon of modern art this will reveal the truth behind this most enigmatic and powerful artist. Included in the ten will be ‘The Three Dancers’ (1925), the subject of a major exhibition at Tate Modern 2025-26.

Lecturer Alan Read

Image: Pablo Picasso  'The Three Dancers' 1925. Tate Modern