An exhibition of Pablo Picasso's paintings will be held in Beijing from March 20 to May 20, 2005, exhibition organizer said at a press conference on Thursday.

The 265 paintings, valued at an insurance premium of more than 100 million yuan (about US$12.1 million), will be displayed in a royal garden near the Forbidden City, said the organizer Beijing Radio.

This is the largest display of Picasso's works ever held in Asia.

The organizer said that the paintings will be divided into eight parts, covering a wide range of subjects including animals, portrait, poem and classical literature.

The French Picasso Foundation, the owner of most artistic works of Picasso, greatly supported the exhibition. Chinese and French organizers booked specific flight compartment to transport the paintings directly from Europe, said the organizer.

(Xinhua News Agency January 14, 2005)