Unexpected Picasso

Richly emotional and sometimes erotic, a set of 100 etchings on exhibit at the National Museum of China reflects both the artist's versatility and a milestone in 20th-century art, Lin Qi reports.

They are described as "a walk through Picasso's mind" and "the center of the labyrinth" to the master's inner self by curators at the British Museum. The acquisition of a complete set of them is priceless for public institutions and private collectors.

More than seven decades after they were produced, the 100 etchings that make up the Vollard Suite are being shown in China.