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Christine Ruiz-Picasso, a key figure in the creation of the Picasso Museum in Malaga, has died at the age of 97.
The artist and cultural promoter Christine Ruiz-Picasso has died at the age of 97 at her home in Provence, France, as confirmed by sources at the Picasso Museum Málaga. She played a fundamental role in the creation and consolidation of this institution, which today is one of the leading cultural landmarks in Andalusia.
The widow of Paul Ruiz-Picasso—eldest son of the renowned painter Pablo Picasso and Olga Khokhlova—Christine played a decisive role in the museum's founding. Together with her son Bernard Ruiz-Picasso, she co-founded the Málaga art gallery, which opened on October 27, 2003.
At that time, Christine made a decisive contribution to the project by donating and lending most of the 204 works that make up the permanent collection. Thanks to this, the museum has established itself as a major cultural attraction, receiving nearly 800,000 visitors a year.
The institution's director emerita once described the museum's creation as "a love story," dedicating it to her husband's memory. The opening of the space was the result of a long collaborative process between public and private entities, including the support of the Andalusian Regional Government.
On the eve of the opening, Christine recalled her first trip to Málaga with Paul in 1954, motivated by Picasso's desire to have his work displayed in his hometown. However, that plan could not be realized at the time due to the political climate. She recounted how deeply the artist suffered at not being able to see that dream fulfilled during the dictatorship.
The path towards Picasso's symbolic return to Málaga began to take shape decades later, especially from 1992 onwards, with exhibitions such as the one held at the Episcopal Palace. Some of those pieces would later become part of the museum's collection.
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