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, financially comfortable after having sold all the paintings in his studio, and wanted to return to Barcelona to visit his parents, his sister and his friends. He also wished 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, Gósol 1906 begins, with the artist arriving on the back of a donkey in this small Pyrenean village. 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 towards a more synthetic and abstract representation of the surroundings.

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 memoirs, published partly during her lifetime and the rest posthumously.
• Gertrude Stein, writer and art collector, whom Picasso was portraying during those years. In her memoirs, Stein also refers to Picasso's journey to Gósol.
• Guillaume Apollinaire, poet and close friend of Picasso, with whom he maintained a close correspondence during his stay in Gósol, together with Fernande.

The visit to the Picasso Centre 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 have a profound influence on his later work.

The exhibition at the Centre focuses on this stay in the spring of 1906. Visitors can see:

• The sketchbook that Picasso created during his stay.
• Historical photographs of Gósol at the beginning of the 20th century.
• The importance of the image of the Virgin of Gósol.
• The letters Picasso wrote to Casanovas from Gósol.
• The literary works of Fernande Olivier and Gertrude Stein, which recall those months and highlight the significance of this period in Picasso's pictorial transformation towards modernity.

The Picasso Route

The Picasso Route invites visitors to stroll through Gósol, following the same streets and corners that inspired the artist. A sound installation transports visitors back to the time, recreating anecdotes from Picasso's stay and his relationship with the local inhabitants.

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

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

Along the route, visitors pass by places such as the Guàrdia quarter, where Picasso found inspiration for Houses of Gósol, and climb up to the Castle, where they can listen to a recreation of his meeting with the local priest of the time.

The Picasso Trail

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

This trail crosses emblematic places such as Coll dels Fangassos, Cal Susèn, Vall de Saldes, Feners and l'Espà, covering a total of 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 route of 59 km to Bellver de Cerdanya.

At the Picasso Centre in Gósol you will find the Picasso Trail map, published by Alpina. Feel free to ask us for more information to plan your visit.

Opening hours of the Picasso Centre in Gósol

Open all year:

• Fridays and Saturdays: from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Sundays and public holidays: from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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

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

April, May, September and October:

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

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