When asked “When will you be exhibited in Tbilisi?” the Spanish artist Pablo Picasso reportedly answered that there was no point in exhibiting his work in Georgia because the Georgians already had the great Pirosmani. As the Georgian National Museum has already sent Pirosmani paintings abroad however, it can now afford to host Picasso here.

40 Picasso masterpieces will come to Georgia and be exhibited here from May 30 to September 6. The collection comes from the Zervos museum in Vezelay in Yonne, France.

According to the National Museum of Georgia, the main organiser of the event, « the exhibition is a large scale one and unprecedented for Georgia. It is expected to provoke tremendous interest both in Georgia and in international circles. The exhibition will not only be interesting for our citizens but tourists. We are sure that the exhibition will attract an unprecedented number of visitors during these 4 months. »

Picasso’s works will be first exhibited at the Sighnaghi Museum from May 30 to June 23. Then Tbilisi Arts Museum will host the masterpieces from June 28 till August 2. They will then be in Batumi Arts Museum from August 8 to September 6. The Georgian National Museum will also hold a programme of lectures about Picasso for all ages.

2009 has been declared the Year of Picasso and the most popular museums worldwide are planning to exhibit his pictures. The partners of this event are the Ministry of Culture, Monuments Protection and Sport of Georgia, the Embassy of France in Georgia, the Ministry of Education and Culture of Adjara, the Mayor of Tbilisi and some private companies.

Picasso was exceptionally prolific throughout his long lifetime. He produced an estimated 50,000 artworks, comprising 1,885 paintings, 1,228 sculptures, 2,880 ceramics, roughly 12,000 drawings, many thousands of prints and numerous tapestries and rugs. Several paintings by Picasso rank among the most expensive paintings in the world. His “Garçon à la Pipe” sold for USD $104 million at Sotheby's on 4 May 2004, establishing a new record. “Dora Maar au Chat” sold for USD $95.2 million at Sotheby’s on 3 May 2006.

As of 2004 Picasso remained the top ranked artist based on sale prices of his works at auction, according to the Art Market Trends report. More of his paintings have been stolen than those of any other artist.