On 25th October, 1971, Pablo Picasso turned ninety years old. This occasion led to much greater visibility for the artist and also laid bare the antagonistic reception of him. While for some his name was becoming more established as a symbol of freedom, for others he embodied subversion and a personification of anti-Francoism. Furthermore, the latter considered
the series “Sueño y mentira de Franco” (Franco’s dream and lie) to be “an insult to the highest authority of the nation”. For certain reactionary groups this provided sufficient motivation to mount a campaign of attacks against the name of Picasso. This began a few days after his birthday with the destruction of...
