Pablo picasso — the three graces, 1925

Over the course of history the Three Graces, an archetype of beauty and harmony, have occupied an ambiguous and fascinating space in the visual arts which has made them a universal symbol. This group of female figures, celebrated in Antiquity for symbolizing the generosity of nature, has inspired artists of different eras and styles for centuries.

The three graces is one of artworks by Pablo Picasso.

Picasso and Koons address this allegory in the present exhibition, each offering a highly personal vision that departs from and at the same time pays homage to their classical sources. In the case of Picasso, the return to Antiquity was an inexhaustible source of inspiration and trios of figures became a recurring motif, including The Three Graces of Employing his characteristic style, Picasso returned to the monochromatic and grave aura of classical statues, adding a note of introspection that transforms the classical ideal of beauty into something personal and disquieting.

For his part, Jeff Koons revisited the theme with a contemporary and technological focus. Inspired by porcelain figures, he transformed the delicacy of this material into the unbreakable shine of his characteristic polished steel. From their different perspectives each artist thus proposes a reinterpretation of this mythical image which connects past and present in a continuous renewal of classical symbolism.

Koons was also inspired by classicism, paying homage to the painting The Intervention of the Sabine Women by Jacques-Louis David, which represents the moment when the Sabine women, by now settled in Rome, witness the confrontation between their Roman captors and their families of origin, the Sabines. The artist borrows the female forms and poses that often represented idealised beauty and femininity.

For , the first selected venue for this exhibition is the Alhambra, specifically the Palace of Charles V and the Museo de Bellas Artes de Granada which is housed in that historic architectural complex. Room 1 of the Museo de Bellas Artes de Granada, where the works by Picasso and Koons will be shown, constitutes in itself a journey through a crucial moment in the history of art as it displays works from the late Gothic period to the dawn of the Baroque.

THE THREE GRACES Les Trois Grâces Oil on canvas "Classicism" More from

The artistic density of this space lies not only in the thirty-six works on display or the fourteen artists represented, but also in the richness of styles, periods and concepts that establish dialogues here. In collaboration with. Publication Reflections. Current Exhibitions. Follow us on Instagram.