Hang It in the Louvre: Abu Dhabi Hosts Landmark Picasso Exhibition With Over 130 Works

Louvre Abu Dhabi has announced Picasso, the Figure, a landmark exhibition dedicated to Pablo Picasso, widely regarded as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Featuring more than 130 works, the exhibition will run from January 31 to May 31, 2026.

Developed in collaboration with the Musée national Picasso–Paris and France Muséums, the exhibition explores Picasso’s evolving approach to figuration across his prolific career. It traces his artistic journey from early Cubist experimentation through classical portraiture and Surrealism, culminating in the bold, expressive works of his later years.

Presented through a chronological and thematic narrative, Picasso, the Figure examines how the human form remained central to Picasso’s continual reinvention of artistic language. The exhibition spans painting, sculpture, drawing and ceramics, offering a comprehensive view of the artist’s creative output.

The exhibition is curated by Cécile Debray, President of the Musée national Picasso–Paris; Virginie Perdrisot-Cassan, Chief Curator and Head of Sculpture and Ceramics at the Musée national Picasso–Paris; and Aisha AlAhmadi, Associate Curator at Louvre Abu Dhabi. A distinctive feature of the curatorial approach is the integration of Greek mythology, weaving mythological themes into Picasso’s artistic transformations.

More than 130 artworks are brought together for the exhibition, including seven works from Louvre Abu Dhabi’s permanent collection and six from the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi. Additional loans come from institutions, private collections and galleries across France, Qatar, Lebanon, the UAE and West Asia.

Participating lenders include the Musée du Louvre, Mobilier National in Paris, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, the Dalloul Art Foundation in Beirut, Meem Gallery in Dubai, and the Barjeel Art Foundation in Sharjah.

The exhibition also highlights Picasso’s influence on modern art in the Arab world through key works by six Arab artists. These include paintings by Iraqi artists Dia al-Azzawi, Jewad Selim and Shakir Hassan Al Said, Egyptian artist Ramses Younan, and a painted ceramic work by Algerian artist Baya Mahieddine. Together, these works reflect the reciprocal artistic exchanges between Picasso and artists from the region.

Manuel Rabaté, Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, said the exhibition represents a milestone for the museum. “We are delighted to unveil Picasso, the Figure, a first-of-its-kind exhibition at Louvre Abu Dhabi that explores the legacy of one of the leading artistic figures of the 20th century,” he said. “We are equally proud to present works by Arab artists whose practices highlight the ongoing dialogue with Picasso’s legacy and the cross-cultural exchange that defines our museum’s mission.”

Cécile Debray and Virginie Perdrisot-Cassan described the exhibition as an original monographic presentation centred on the question of the human figure. They noted that the exhibition draws from the world’s richest collection of Picasso’s works and reflects a spirit of collaboration with Louvre Abu Dhabi, positioning the museum as a cultural crossroads between East and West, archaeology and modern art.