All’inizio del 1949, Picasso decise di scrivere personalmente agli americani per ottenere aiuti per gli esuli spagnoli nella Francia meridionale e per gli orfani dei suoi compatrioti caduti durante la guerra civile: Dear American Friend, Although I am writing from very far away, I feel close to you because I know we share many great ideals together. One of these ideals is peace. Another, freedom [...]. The New Years has come, but it is not a Happy New Years for the Spanish people, or for the Spanish refugees here in Southern France. It is only still another year – the tenth year of terror and slavery under Franco […].