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Few artists have left such an impact on their era. Pablo Picasso dominated the 20th century, bequeathing an iconic legacy to the history of painting, printing and sculpture. Fifty years after the Spanish artist's death, his influence still looms large. To mark that anniversary, FRANCE 24's Olivia Salazar-Winspear retraces his steps in Barcelona to discover how the giant of modern art got his start in the cosmopolitan atmosphere of turn-of-the-century Catalonia. We also see how Picasso's early academic work gave way to formal experimentation at the Picasso Museum Barcelona, the largest collection of his work in the world. 

The artist's grandson, Olivier Picasso, gives us an insight into the political impetus at the heart of "Guernica", which was painted at the outbreak of the Spanish Civil war in 1936, and tells us why the formidable canvas has become an anti-war symbol for the ages. 

Back in Paris, a landmark exhibition invites visitors to consider Picasso's work in a new light, as British fashion designer Paul Smith lends his creative eye to the collection.

And we see how the contemporary art pieces in that show highlight the timeless quality of Picasso's artwork, many decades after he made it.

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Jonathan Lerner, founder of Tailored Tours Barcelona, is an award winning travel design company offering private experiences across the arts, culture & cuisine in Spain and across Western Europe.