For the first time, a rare Picasso masterpiece has stepped out of the shadows and into the spotlight in Miami. Those visiting Gary Nader Art Centre can be among the first to witness “The Two Children” (1954), a deeply personal work created in Vallauris that depicts his youngest children, Claude and Paloma. Long held in the artist’s private estate for decades, its current display marks its public debut.
The piece is one of the highlights of the Wynwood gallery’s latest exhibit, “Picasso to Botero”, which is currently on view through March 28, 2026. It is displayed among intimate self-portraits, expressive still life paintings and iconic pieces by the revered masters, such as Botero’s “Flowers” (2000) and Picasso’s “Mousquetaire et fillette” (1967).
“The Two Children”, part of a series of six oil paintings, was created by Picasso during an emotionally-charged period, following his painful separation from Françoise Gilot. Claude is often depicted in blue, engaged in drawing or play, while Paloma is in green, a symbol of quiet contemplation.
Each of the paintings explore themes of childhood, imagination and emotional distance through flat planes of color, linear silhouettes and childlike purity. The significance of the hidden work lies in “why it remained unseen,” according to the gallery, as it was one of the canvases he kept guarded as “fragments of his inner life” and never intended to be commercialized.
Visitors can catch the first glimpse of this intimate work by visiting the Gary Nader Art Centre at 62 NE 27th St, Miami, FL 33137. Founded in 1985 by Gary Nader, the Centre is renowned for its focus on modern and contemporary art, including the largest private collection of Fernando Botero’s oeuvre. It also manages a private collection of over 2,000 works from the 20th and 21st centuries.