Found a Good Weekend lying around the floor of my bedroom and wondered why I hadn't thrown it away. The front page showed a photo of Picasso with Francois Gilot on the beach. The feature was an interview with Gilot detailing her life with 'the love of her life' who was sadistic, merciless and cruel to everyone of his 7 women as well as himself. She says he was marvellous to be with, creative, intelligent and seductive. The 'Bluebeard' genius of the artworld, would have destroyed Francois and her children if they had not left him. An insight to the relationships of the artist, 2 of his women developed psychiatric illnesses and 1 died of TB. The women and acquaintances were constantly lied to and kept them revolving around him like an manaical, egotistical despot.
All his women inspired his artworks, "Weeping Woman", "Guernica",but by the time he met his last muse, his best years of painting women were over, and he began painting erotic images.
Gilot's book"Life With Picasso" will probably be my next read.
The article can be found at;
http://goodweekend.fairfaxmedia/picassoandme
Sydney Morning Herald 'Good Weekend' July 23, 2011
Janet Hawley "Picasso and Me" interview with Francois Gilot
Picasso:Masterpieces from the Musee National Picasso is at the Art Gallery NSW Nov 12, 2011-March 25, 2012
www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au
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