The first crates of art created by famed artist Pablo Picasso have arrived at the Art Gallery of Ontario in preparation for an exhibit that will open in May.
The exhibit will feature 147 works on loan from the Musee National Picasso in Paris, France.
All of the paintings are ones Picasso kept in his own personal collection.
The collection arrived at the AGO Tuesday, under tight security and a thick veil of anticipation from the gallery's curators.
One of the first crates opened contained Picasso's portrait of Marie Thereses Walter, his mistress who eventually became his second wife in the 1930s.
"It's very sexy, yes. She was a very sexy woman," said Virginie Perdirisol, a curator from the Musee Picasso who accompanied the paintings to Toronto to ensure they arrived safely.
While the exhibit will attract thousands, just getting all the art from Paris to Toronto is a huge challenge.
"There is a report created before they leave the Musee Picasso, so every little insecurity, every little loss, every little mark, is documented very well on a photo," said Sandra Webster-Cook, a curator at the AGO.
With files from CTV Toronto's Austin Delaney
