Pablo Picasso - The Artist and His Muse

Pablo Picasso defined Modern Art just as Einstein defined the word "scientist." Picasso was the ambassador of Cubism and Abstract Art. However, greater the fame he achieved with his brush, the more degenerate his relationships became. Pablo Picasso's art reflected all his failed relationships, infidelity, vengefulness and emotional sourness, which made him world famous. Pablo Picasso faced his first tragedy at the death of his sister, Conchita, when he was just seventeen. This left a very deep impression on him. Although Pablo was never as desperate as Goya or Van Gogh or Gauguin, he had his share of mistresses and lovers. Most of Pablo's relationships with them ended bitterly and many which started as a hero worship ended with the accusations of infidelity and abuse. This story repeated itself several times, as Picasso's art grew from Realism to Blue, Rose, Africanism, and Cubism. The funniest part was that, as Pablo Picasso seems to have "phases" in his art; his women also were "in phases." For every segment of his works, it is easy to recognize a different woman. Pablo Picasso's first long-term mistress was Fernande Olivier, who was a fellow artist of his. Olivier was the muse, who graced his "Rose" period works. The colors in Rose Phase Paintings were primarily bright Orange, and Pink. Happy characters such as, Circus Artisans and Harlequins graced Pablo Picasso's Canvas. It could be said that maybe the young Picasso was in love. However, as his art gained value, he left Olivier for Eva (Marcelle Humbart), now making her the queen of his "Cubist" works. Many mistresses later, Picasso tried his hands at marriage with Ballerina Khokhlova. Khokhlova was a high society woman, who tried making the bohemian Pablo to "civilize" himself with high- class parties and powerful friends. The couple did not go far with their marriage, as Picasso fell in love with a seventeen-year old damsel, Marie-Thérèse Walter. She was in love with him but Picasso considered her to be like a daughter. Marie lived in the false hope that Picasso would marry her one day. When she realized that wouldn’t happen Marie hanged herself. Khokhlova, of course could not take well her husband’s infidelity. Picasso however, refused to divorce her, fearing a division of his fortune. The couple remained separated until Khokhlova died in 1955. Another constant influence in Picasso's life was the painter Dora Maar, with whom he had a parallel relationship (the closest was in 1930's). She featured as his Muse in most of his Abstract Works and was responsible for documenting his most famous work "Guernica." After the liberation of France, Pablo Picasso fell in love with a French art student, Francois Gilot. Their affair lasted for 9 years, but this time, it was Gilot who left Picasso. Pablo was heartbroken, though took his revenge by making her divorce her husband, while he himself solemnized his second marriage with Jacqueline Roque. Pablo Picasso's life is as much a study of his craft as his psychology. One can view him as a philanderer or as an artist who refused to be tied down to one Muse. Perhaps his folly was in seeing only a muse where he should have seen a companion. However, perhaps then, we would not have the geniuses of Picasso. FILL IN THE BLANKS

Einstein is to the world “scientist” as Pablo Picasso is to ______. Name Picasso’s different “ phases”. Did Picasso have a happy relationship during his “Rose” phase? Which characters appeared in his canvas? Who was the queen of his “Cubist” works? Could you summarize Khokhlova Picasso Walter love triangle? He married ______who tried to ______. He then met 17-year-old ______. She wanted to ______him. Picasso didn’t want to divorce ______. ______hanged herself. The muse of his Abstract works was ______, who helped him with the ______. ______was the first to leave Picasso but he took ______. He married for the second time to ______.