Francis Picabia, Mardi gras (Le Baiser), ca. 1924–25 Ripolin and oil on canvas Courtesy Natalie Seroussi © Natalie Seroussi

The largest exhibition ever held in Italy on Francis Picabia.

Picabia. Opening the Doors of the Night
Palazzo Reale, Milan · 9 October 2026 – 24 January 2027

Francis Picabia (1879-1953) is one of the most original and influential figures in twentieth-century art. Over 170 works from leading European museums and major international collections guide visitors through an immersive, sensory journey across the hours of the night. Love, dance, music, Spanish roots, the experience of war and collective creation: the themes of an artist who moved through Impressionism, Cubism and Dada without ever settling, constantly reinventing himself. The show also features the thirteen “Black Albums” and previously unseen archival material. 

Promoted by the City of Milan – Culture and co-produced by Palazzo Reale and MADEINART, with the patronage of the Consulate General of France and the Institut Français, the exhibition is curated by Anne Berest Picabia, writer and the artist’s great-granddaughter. She is the co-author of Gabriële, the acclaimed book that offers an intimate portrait of Francis Picabia through the life of his wife, Gabriële Buffet-Picabia, great-grandmother of the authors. The book was selected by the New York Times as one of the ten best works of historical non-fiction of 2025.

Why Visit?

The largest Picabia exhibition ever held in Italy. Over 170 works from leading European museums and international collections, brought together in Milan.

Masterpieces rarely seen together. Salicis, Balance, Femmes au bull-dog and Mardi gras (Le Baiser) sit alongside Picabia’s earliest known work, from 1898, shown only once before, in Turin in 1974.

An immersive journey, not a classic retrospective. The show moves through the hours of the night, each tied to a theme: passionate love, dance, music, Spanish roots, war and collective creation.

Never-before-seen archives. The thirteen “Black Albums” open the exhibition, with rare photographs, letters and personal documents, some shown to the public for the first time.

A curator who knows him from within. Anne Berest Picabia is the artist’s great-granddaughter, and her book Gabriëlewas named by the New York Times one of the ten best works of historical non-fiction of 2025.

An artist for today. Picabia moved through Impressionism, Cubism and Dada without ever settling into one label, and anticipated questions that still shape contemporary art.

📍 Location: Palazzo Reale Milano
📅 Dates: 09.10.2026 – 24.01.2027
🎟 Tickets: Book now at Picabia. Aprire le porte della notte.

INFORMATIONS
Palazzo Reale: Piazza del Duomo 12, Milano
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