Gustau Gili and Anna M. Torra Collection

History of the creators

Gustau Gili Esteve (Barcelona, 1906-1992) and Anna M. Torra (1908-1989). 

Gustau Gili, a Catalan businessman, patron of the arts and art collector, ran the Gustau Gili publishing house in Barcelona between 1945 and 1992, which had been founded by his father, Gustau Gili Roig, in 1902. In 1956, the publisher visited Picasso to revive a project his father had proposed to the artist in 1927, which was put on hold. It involved illustrating Pepe Illo's La tauromaquia [The Art of Bullfighting] for his bibliophile publishing house, Ediciones de La Cometa. This time Picasso accepted and completed the twenty-six aquatints in one go. This was the beginning of a long friendship between the two couples, Gustau Gili and Anna M. Torra and Pablo Picasso and Jacqueline Roche. The Gili couple would go on to become the publishers with the most Picasso titles published in Spanish.

The Gustau Gili and Anna M. Torra Collection was given to the Museum by the publishers' heirs. Their son, Gustau Gili Torra, made the 1992 donation, and the 2004 acquisition came from their grandchildren, Gabriel, Gustau and Mònica Gili Galfetti.

Scope and content

A collection of reference material (posters, invitations, leaflets, periodicals, articles and newspapers) collected by Gustau Gili Esteve and Anna M. Torra between the 1930s and the 1980s as a result of their relationship with Picasso. Most of the publications' content refers to Picasso's artistic activity around the world: exhibitions, books, etc.

It is worth noting the fairly exhaustive collection of periodicals and newspaper articles about Picasso, which reflects his admiration for the artist and the relationship that was fostered between them. The collection was later expanded and enhanced with the arrival of the 2014 acquisition, comprising four family photo albums.

These albums contain photographs of the Gili family's visits to see Picasso and Jacqueline between 1956 and the 1970s. They depict, aside from their working relationship, the great friendship between these two families. Of particular note are the seven photographs manipulated by Picasso.

Accession details

The Gustau Gili and Anna M. Torra Collection arrived at the Picasso Museum in Barcelona by donation in April 1992 and by acquisition in 2014.