WORLD-FAMOUS PAINTER PABLO PICASSO AND HIS WIFE JACQUELINE APPEARED IN PUBLIC AT VALLAURIS, OCT 28, FOR THE FIRST TIME DURING A ROUND OF RIVIERA CELEBRATIONS IN HONOUR OF HIS 80TH BIRTHDAY, OCT 25.

THE GREAT SPANISH-BORN ARTIST, WHO HAD A SLIGHT COLD AND STAYED AT HOME WITH A SMALL PARTY OF FRIENDS ON THE ACTUAL DAY, WOULD NOT MISS THE EVENTS IN HIS HONOUR AT VALLAURIS, THE SMALL POTTERY TOWN WHICH HE RESCUED FROM OBLIVION AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR THROUGH HIS PROFOUND INTEREST IN THE MAKING OF CERAMICS.

A SPECIAL EXHIBITION OF 27 PICASSO PAINTINGS - VALUED AT GBP750,000 - WAS MOUNTED AT A PUBLIC HALL IN VALLAURIS. THEY WERE LENT FOR THE OCCASION BY HIS FRIENDS. SOME OF THEM ARE SPLENDID EXAMPLES OF HIS WORK DURING WHAT HAS BECOME KNOWN AS HIS "BLUE PERIOD".

IN THE EVENING, THE ARTIST AND HIS WIFE ATTENDED A CONCERT IN THE VALLAURIS EXHIBITION BUILDING. INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED MUSICIANS AND DANCERS - AMONG THEM THE RUSSIAN PIANIST SVIATOSLAV RICHTER AND THE HUNGARIAN DANCERS ADELE OROSZ AND VICTOR RONA - WERE SUPPORTED BY THE FRENCH RADIO ORCHESTRA IN A MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO THE MASTER.