London ( CNN ) -- A complete set of 100 etchings by Pablo Picasso -- never before seen in public -- is to go on display at the British Museum after an `` extraordinary '' $ 1.5 million gift . Businessman Hamish Parker -- a long-term fan of the London museum -- donated the entire Vollard Suite in memory of his father , Major Horace Parker , who died last year . The Vollard Suite -- one of the 20th century 's most highly prized collections of etchings -- was created by Picasso between 1930 and 1937 . It features pictures of the artist 's young lover , Marie-Therese Walter , depictions of the Minotaur , the half-man-half-beast from classical myth who would become a regular feature in Picasso 's works , and also a number of portraits of art collector Ambroise Vollard , for whom the collection is named . A spokeswoman for the museum said Parker -- a friend of the prints and drawings room -- had learned of the museum 's hopes of acquiring the suite of etchings at an event there last year . `` We already owned a few individual plates from the collection , five or so out of the 100 , and one of those was on display , '' she told CNN . `` Stephen Coppel , the prints and drawings curator , had placed a note beside it explaining that it was a long-term ambition of the British Museum to own the complete set . `` But it was pie-in-the-sky stuff really -- we hoped to be able to add to the collection piece by piece over time . Never in our wildest dreams did we imagine it would happen so quickly . '' After his father died , Parker surprised museum bosses by telling them he planned to offer them the money to buy the full set , in memory of the Major . `` It was very unexpected , and incredibly generous , '' the spokeswoman said . `` We are delighted . '' The Vollard Suite will go on display at the British Museum in London from May 3 to September 2 , 2012 , the first time a complete set of the etchings has been shown in the UK for half a century . The collection will be shown alongside examples of the classical sculpture , Rembrandt etchings and Goya prints which inspired Picasso in creating it.. The suite was commissioned by Parisian collector Ambroise Vollard , who planned to print and sell editions of it ; however he died in a car accident in 1939 before the task was completed . After his death most of the prints were sold to fellow art dealer Henri Petiet . The British Museum 's set , which has never been shown in public before and is in pristine condition , was bought from the Petiet family .
British Museum celebrates 'unexpected and incredibly generous ' gift . Complete set of Pablo Picasso 's Vollard Suite etchings donated by friend of museum . $ 1.5m bequest in memory of donor 's father , Major Horace Parker , who died last year . All 100 etchings are to go on display at the museum next summer .