Picasso's War

In January 1939, Pablo Picasso was a celebrated figure in Europe but largely overlooked and even scorned by many in the United States. Yet, within a year, his pieces became highly sought after across America. How did this avant-garde artist manage to infiltrate American culture so deeply? The extraordinary answer unravels a generation earlier with John Quinn, an audacious Irish American lawyer determined to amass the most impressive collection of Picasso's works. Despite his premature death, which shelved his dream of a dedicated museum, Quinn's vision was revived by Alfred H. Barr, Jr. Barr, a cultural maven, became the director of New York's Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) at just twenty-seven.

Together, Quinn and Barr aspired to create a legacy, but they faced numerous setbacks including public disapproval, the economic hardship of the Great Depression, internal European strife, and even resistance from Picasso himself. The turning point came when Adolf Hitler intensified his campaign against Jews and modern art, prompting Barr to collaborate with Paul Rosenberg, Picasso's persecuted art dealer. Their formidable efforts successfully transferred Picasso's seminal works from Europe to the U.S., leading to the historic exhibition titled Picasso: Forty Years of His Art. Held in the shadow of impending global conflict, this exhibition revolutionised American art appreciation, established MoMA's prestigious position, and shifted the world’s artistic epicentre from Paris to New York.

Picasso's War is an enthralling account of how a single exhibition, painstakingly orchestrated over a decade, transformed American tastes in art and safeguarded many of the 20th century’s masterpieces from Nazi looting. With a brilliant fusion of fresh scholarly insights and compelling emotive storytelling, Hugh Eakin vividly portrays how the relentless devotion of two men and their shared zeal for Picasso reshaped the cultural landscape forever.

Highlighted by Vanity Fair, The New York Times Book Review, and The New Yorker as one of the best books of the year, Picasso's War is lauded for not only its masterful command of historical events but also the sheer narrative potency that makes it a standout read. As the New York Times Book Review asserts, "Eakin has mastered this material... The book soars."

If you are intrigued by the confluence of art, history, and indomitable human spirit, Picasso's War promises an unforgettable journey through a pivotal era that redefined the global art scene and enshrined Picasso as a household name.