In 1879, two years before Picasso was born, the first Paleolithic paintings were unearthed in Spain, in the Cave of Altamira. On August 9, 1922, when the artist was 30, a small Upper Paleolithic figurine was discovered in the Rideaux cave of Lespugue; it was called the Venus of Lespugue. Interest in prehistoric art grew among the general public. In 1926, Christian Zervos founded Cahiers d’Art, a stylish journal that published essays on modern and ancient art, along with photographs. Picasso knew of these cave relics—he owned two copies of the Venus—and found inspiration in them. On the 50th anniversary of Picasso’s death, this exhibition explores the impact of the Stone Age on his work. The central piece, the painting Woman Throwing a Stone (1931), with its earthy tones and timeworn shapes, is testament to Picasso’s fascination with man’s earliest art. —Elena Clavarino