A new photography exhibition at Madrid’s Museo Lázaro Galdiano is putting the spotlight on photographer Dora Maar, one of the most distinctive artistic voices of the 20th century. Presented by LOEWE and the LOEWE FOUNDATION for PHotoESPAÑA 2025, the show runs through 14 September and offers a rare opportunity to explore Maar’s multidisciplinary genius through more than 80 works—many never before seen by the public.
Photographer Dora Maar: beyond the muse
Curated by María Millán, the exhibition reframes Maar not merely as a Surrealist icon or Picasso’s muse, but as a groundbreaking artist who challenged the boundaries of expression. It features striking examples of her Barcelona street photography from 1933, capturing the city in a moment of social and political unrest on the eve of the Spanish Civil War. These images juxtapose the daily struggles of fishermen, street performers, and impoverished families with the leisurely strolls of the city’s elite—an unflinching portrait of class contrast in urban life.
Inside the Dora Maar exhibition
The Dora Maar exhibition also unveils a remarkable archive of personal drawings, recently discovered and displayed publicly for the first time. Executed in pencil and India ink on loose paper, diaries, and sketchbooks, these works span Cubist abstractions, mythological themes, and still-life studies—offering an intimate glimpse into her restless creativity.
Among the highlights are rare portraits of cultural luminaries such as Jean Cocteau, Nadia Sibirskaïa, and Pablo Picasso, as well as an invaluable photographic record of Picasso’s process in creating Guernica in 1937. This series charts the evolution of the masterpiece over 35 days, revealing both artistic precision and emotional urgency.
By bringing together photography, drawing, and archival material, the exhibition invites visitors to rediscover Dora Maar as a visionary artist who transcended labels and movements. It is part of LOEWE and the LOEWE FOUNDATION’s broader commitment to championing bold, innovative photographers who reshaped the way we see the world.
The show runs until September 14th, 2025 at Museo Lázaro Galdiano, Calle de Serrano 122, Madrid, as a major highlight of this year’s PHotoESPAÑA festival.
Self-portrait, Dora Maar leaning out of the window of her studio, c. 1937
Courtesy of THROCKMORTON FINE ART
Portrait of a young woman with kimono, 1933.
Courtesy of ARXIU NACIONAL DE CATALUNYA
Portrait of Jean Cocteau, 1949
Courtesy of THROCKMORTON FINE ART
Portrait of a Woman, 1939
Courtesy of GALERIE BOQUET and AMBROISE AUDOIN-ROUZEAU; Image courtesy of VEGAP, Madrid 2025
