Malaga culture: driving force behind Picasso Museum Christine Ruiz-Picasso dies at 97

Mourning in the Picasso family. Christine Ruiz-Picasso, patron and driving force behind the creation of the artist's museum in Malaga, passed away at the age of 97 at her home in Provence, France, on 6 April.

Honourary President of the Malaga art gallery since its founding in 2003, Ruiz-Picasso was Pablo Picasso's daughter-in-law. She contributed her own collection to the museum in Malaga, for which she received the Gran Cruz de Alfonso X El Sabio.

Three years ago, the museum's auditorium was named Auditorio Christine Ruiz-Picasso to commemorate her close connection and contribution.

Christine Ruiz-Picasso was born in France in 1928. She married Paul - Picasso's eldest son from his marriage to Olga Khokhlova (the artist's first wife). The two had son Bernard Ruiz-Picasso.

Christine Ruiz-Picasso never forgot Picasso's wish to donate works from his personal collection to his native Malaga. To fulfill the artist's wish, in 1998, with his son's express support, she donated the majority of his works, spanning nearly all periods, materials and techniques, so that Malaga could have the museum Picasso had dreamed of. Christine Ruiz-Picasso was also the president of Fundación Paul, Christine y Bernard Ruiz-Picasso.