The artist Maya Ruiz-Picasso is dead. This was announced by the French Ministry of Culture. The eldest daughter of the world-famous painter Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) was 87 years old.
It had a significant impact on the painter’s life and work and became the subject of several works. So in 1938 Picasso painted María de la Concepción, who soon received the nickname Maya, in beautiful paintings that remained unknown for a long time: “Maya with Doll”, “Maya with Doll and Horse”, “Maya with Sailor Suit”, “Maya with Boat ” and “Maya with an apron”.
Maya Ruiz-Picasso made preserving her father’s legacy her life’s work. In 2021, for example, she made an exhibition in the Picasso Museum possible through a donation to the French state in 2021. According to France’s Minister of Culture, Rima Abdul Malak (43), this tells “aptly of the painter’s privileged relationship with his first daughter”. The donation included several paintings, a sketchbook and a statue. These reflect everyday scenes by Pablo Picasso with his daughter and his partner Marie-Thérèse Walter (1909-1977).
In general, the deceased was constantly committed to sharing and passing on her father’s work. This was her “mission”, Ruiz-Picasso’s son Olivier Widmaier Picasso (61) is quoted as saying by the French ministry. She was of the opinion that “these works should go back to the state, for everyone”. In addition to the regular donations of works, the artist also shared her knowledge with those who were passionate about her work to support historical and scientific research.
