Centre Picasso de Gósol Gósol

Pablo Picasso in Gósol, 1906

Pablo Picasso, who was 24 years old at the time, decided to leave the city to reconnect with nature and seek new inspiration. In 1906 he was living in Paris, he was financially comfortable after having sold all the paintings in his studio, and he wanted to return to Barcelona to visit his parents, his sister and his friends. He also wanted to take the opportunity to introduce them to his partner, Fernande Olivier. A doctor friend recommended a small mountain village in the Pyrenees, on the way to Andorra: Gósol.

This is how Picasso begins Gósol 1906, with the artist arriving on the back of a donkey to this small Pyrenean town. His sketchbooks reveal the strong influence that the landscape of Gósol had on his work, and how his painting began to evolve from a figurative style to a more synthetic and abstract representation of the environment.

The other protagonists

In addition to Picasso, three key historical figures appear in this exhibition:

• Fernande Olivier, Picasso's companion and model, who accompanied him to Gósol. Her correspondence from that trip has been preserved, as well as some memoirs, published partly during her lifetime and the rest posthumously.
• Gertrude Stein, writer and art collector, whom Picasso was painting in those years. In her memoirs, Stein also refers to Picasso's trip to Gósol.
• Guillaume Apollinaire, poet and great friend of Picasso, with whom he maintained a close correspondence during his stay in Gósol, together with Fernande.

The visit to the Picasso Center in Gósol

Picasso's visit to Gósol was not only an event for the town, but also marked a turning point in his artistic career. It was in Gósol that Picasso began to explore primitive and Iberian art, which would profoundly influence his later work.

The exhibition at the Centre revolves around this stay in the spring of 1906. You will be able to see:

• The sketchbook that Picasso created during his stay.
• Historical photographs of Gósol at the beginning of the century.
• The importance of the image of the Virgin of Gósol.
• The letters that Picasso wrote to Casanovas from Gósol.
• The literary works of Fernande Olivier and Gertrude Stein, which collect memories of those months and underline the significance of this period in Picasso's pictorial transformation towards modernity.

The Picasso Route

The Picasso Route offers a walk through Gósol, following the same streets and corners that inspired the artist. A sound theatre will transport you back in time, recreating some anecdotes experienced by Picasso and his relationship with the town's inhabitants.

Currently, a short route of about 2 km is available, and a longer route will soon be launched, which will include points of interest on the outskirts of the town, where Picasso also used to walk.

The combination of a visit to the Centre and the Picasso Route offers a unique immersive experience in the artist's history in Gósol.

During the route, you will pass by places such as the Guardia neighbourhood, where Picasso was inspired to paint Casas de Gósol, and you will go up to the Castle, where you will be able to listen to the recreation of his meeting with the priest of the time.

The Picasso Way

To reach Gósol in 1906, Picasso travelled by steam train to Guardiola de Berguedà. From there, he continued the journey by mule, following a royal road of medieval origin, as there was no road (the first car did not reach Gósol until 1942).

This route passes through emblematic points such as Coll dels Fangassos, Cal Susèn, Vall de Saldes, Feners and Espà, totalling 29 km from Guardiola to Gósol. When Picasso left Gósol at the end of July, he crossed the Pas dels Gosolans towards Cerdanya, completing a total itinerary of 59 km to Bellver de Cerdanya.

At the Picasso Centre in Gósol you will find a map of the Camino Picasso, published by Alpina. Please do not hesitate to ask us for more information to prepare your route.

Opening hours of the Picasso Centre in Gósol

Open all year:

• Friday and Saturday: from 10am to 2pm and from 3pm to 7pm.
• Sundays and holidays: from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Special periods: Christmas, Easter, school holidays and summer (from June 24 to August 31):

• From Tuesday to Saturday: from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Sundays and holidays: from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

April, May, September and October:

• Wednesday to Saturday: 10am to 2pm and 3pm to 7pm.
• Sundays and holidays: from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Visits can be arranged by appointment. Contact us for more information.