Blank canvas: Near-empty Picasso museum opens its doors in Paris

Paris’ Picasso museum is reopening for two days this weekend after five years of closure over a renovation fraught with setbacks, accusations and sackings. But if the public expects art they’ll be disappointed: it’s practically empty. The 37 rooms of Musee Picasso, located inside the Marais district’s grand 17th-century Hotel de Sale, are being temporarily opened in honour of France’s annual heritage weekend. The museum, which is under the stewardship of the French government, won’t officially open until Oct. 25 and until then the art is collecting dust in storage. It will house a 52-million-euro (about $72 million) renovation, which organisers hope will end the museum’s seemingly endless problems.

I will first of all calm your ardour and your enthusiasm … but you’re going to see nothing. It’s a great disappointment. It’s an empty museum.

Laurent Le Bon, the museum’s president

Museum president Laurent Le Bon’s predecessor was sacked in May over the lagging renovation, amid accusations of mismanagement and clashes between the government and the artist’s family. This weekend, visitors are being encouraged to use their imagination about how the museum will look. When it officially opens, 400 works from the prolific founder of Cubism will be on display. Until then, this weekend’s visitors will mostly be viewing bare white walls, white ceilings, decorative white stucco reliefs, white staircases, and empty display cabinets.

Arts Picasso