Picasso: The artist and his muses exhibit is in town at the Vancouver Art Gallery. It is a journey about his art, personal life, and overlapping affairs to remember with six different women that fueled his artistic abilities and made him famous or infamous, however, you want to take it.
I am more intrigue and interested in Picasso’s life history rather than his artistic ability since I cannot differentiate what modern to surrealist art is. Therefore, I focused on his muses.
Fernande Olivier was Picasso’s first great love. They met when she was modeling for different artists. Soon they moved in together. He painted her mostly in nude. Their relationship crumbled due to mutual infidelities and separated. They were together from 1904 to 1912.
Olga Khokhlova was a professional dancer. They met when Picasso was designing sets and costumes for the ballet production she was in. Olga and Picasso got married and had a son. Their marriage life was rife with violent disputes. They separated and remained his legal wife until her death in 1955. They were together from 1917 to 1935.
Marie-Thérèse Walter is Picasso’s long-time mistress. During their affair, she gave birth to a daughter. Soon after, Picasso developed a new relationship with another woman! However, they remained closed and Picasso supported her financially. Devastated by the death of Picasso in 1973, she ended her own life four years later. They were together from 1927 to 1935.
Dora Maar romantic relationship with Picasso started in 1935 in Spain. Picasso returned to Paris in 1939 with her but lived separately. True to his nature, he started another relationship in 1943. As a result, Dora suffered a nervous breakdown, got better and ended the relationship. They were together from 1935 to 1943.
Françoise Gilot was an art student when they met in 1943. She had two children with Picasso. Being exhausted from Picasso’s philandering nature, the relationship lasted for ten years, left him taking the children with her. They never saw each other again. They were together from 1943 to 1953.
Jacqueline Roque met Picasso at a pottery gallery where she worked. She was a married woman at the time. Soon after her divorce and the death of Picasso’s first wife in 1955, secretly they married in 1961. They were together for almost 20 years. The relationship lasted until Picasso’s death. Devastated with Picasso’s demise, she ended her life in 1986. She was buried next to Picasso. They were together from 1953 to 1973.
Needless to say, fidelity is not in his vocabulary nor his strong point as an artist. However, these women influenced and altered the nature of art.
The students of the Board of Education created these arts. The artists are Sophia, kindergarten and Brian, Grade 3.
Source: Vancouver Art Gallery
Great overview of how this show was organized. I very much enjoyed the show as well 🙂
Would love to see this exhibition – Picasso was certainly an artist not afraid of colouring outside the lines with any aspect of his life!
What I find interesting is that despite his infidelity these relationships lasted longer than most do today. He must have been truly captivating.
Oh my! He certainly loved women. A little too much maybe. 🙂
Good history of Picasso. I wonder what women saw in him ???
Evelyn
Colours, curves and concubines.