Exhibition focuses on Julio González’s development from craftsman to artist

In 1928 Pablo Picasso (1881 – 1973) went to see his old friend and fellow Spaniard Julio González (1876 – 1942) in Paris. He needed the help of the talented metalworker to turn a two-dimensional design into a metal sculpture. It was to be the start of a close partnership and the continuation of a unique friendship. They worked together on a number of sculptures over a four-year period. For both artists, the collaboration provided a major push to further development. Thanks to González, Picasso discovered new modes of expression in sculpture and for González the collaboration was the final leg of his journey towards a distinctive artistic style. This exhibition at the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag focuses principally on González’s development from craftsman to avant-garde artist. With no fewer than 20 works by Picasso, it is also a celebration of the friendship between the two men. Julio González encountered metalworking at