In the summer of 1909, Picasso worked in Horta de Sant Joan (Catalonia), producing landscape paintings that simplified forms into geometric structures—an important step toward Cubism’s mature vocabulary.
Picasso’s Brick Factory at Tortosa (also associated with Horta de Ebro/Horta de Sant Joan) dates to 1909 and exemplifies the move toward geometric, proto-Cubist landscape construction that fed into Cubism’s development.
Picasso’s Ma Jolie (1911–1912) is a hallmark of Analytical Cubism, pushing form toward near-abstraction while retaining references (text and implied objects) that invite “reading” the image.
In February–March 1912, Galeries Dalmau in Barcelona presented an exhibition of Picasso’s drawings (notably from his Blue Period), underscoring the gallery’s role as a conduit for avant-garde art in Spain during Cubism’s rise.
The Exposició d’Art Cubista ran from 1912-04-20 to 1912-05-10 at Galeries J. Dalmau (Carrer de Portaferrissa, 18). It is widely cited as the first dedicated Cubist group exhibition in Spain and a pivotal early public encounter with Cubism in Barcelona.
Works exhibited at the 1912 Barcelona Cubist show—including Jean Metzinger’s Nature morte (listed in the Dalmau exhibition context)—became flashpoints in critical debates, illustrating how Cubism’s reception in Spain was shaped by both fascination and hostility.
In May 1912, Picasso created Still Life with Chair Caning, often described as the first Cubist collage, introducing manufactured material (printed oilcloth) and rope edging to collapse boundaries between representation and real-world objects.
From June to November 1917, Picasso spent an extended period in Barcelona, producing works that alternated Cubist approaches with more classicizing figure styles—evidence of Cubism’s continuing (but evolving) presence in his Spanish-connected practice.
After earlier controversies, the Ballets Russes staged Picasso-connected “Parade” in Barcelona on 1917-11-10 (Liceu). The performance linked Spanish audiences to Picasso’s Cubist stage experimentation and the broader modernist network circulating through Spain during World War I.
Around 1920, Julio González renewed his acquaintance with Picasso, setting the groundwork for later technical collaboration in metal sculpture that would become central to both artists’ innovations (especially in welded iron).
The Exposición de Artistas Ibéricos opened on 1925-05-28 at the Palacio de Exposiciones (El Retiro), Madrid, publicly presenting a modernizing artistic platform in Spain that could include Cubist and avant-garde tendencies and reshape national exhibition culture.
In winter 1927–1928, González showed Picasso how to use oxy-fuel welding and cutting, enabling Picasso’s move into welded iron constructions and accelerating González’s own sculptural turn toward linear, spatial “drawing in space.”
From 1928, Picasso sought González’s technical assistance for iron sculpture projects (including proposals connected to a monument for Guillaume Apollinaire). This collaboration (often dated 1928–1932) became a key bridge between Cubist thinking and modern welded-metal sculpture.
Between 1928 and 1930, Picasso and González collaborated on Woman in the Garden, a major welded-iron work that helped establish welded metal as a serious modern sculptural language and underscored González’s importance as both technician and creative peer.
Cubism in Spain: Picasso, Julio González, and Spanish Exhibitions (1909–1925)
