Life of Picasso: Volume I

I'll leave the details to others. For me, Richardson's two (so far) volumes on Picasso are the Best, thoroughly researched, and most enjoyable artist biography I've read. While many other artist bios have nearly put me to sleep (useful - if you ever WANT to go to sleep... just reach for the typical long dry artist bio..) Richardson's two volumes on the life of Picasso I've read through twice. (Allright John, where's that third book already?..)

of course some elements are lost forever, but it's worth contemplating these early years of picasso and to realize how much he had accomplished by say, 1905. my own image of him has tended to dwell on him as an old man doing a certain style of work... but he was (to put it crudely) young a long time.

I respond as a general reader and can attest that reading this work was very much like engaging in a talk with an erudite and witty and sympathic art loving friend. I say engaging as Mr Richardsom anticipates questions and provides explanations. He is also revealing, at least to my mind, about many of the important figures of the early 20th century, such as Gertrude Stein, but as well, the social and artistic revolutions that were occuring. Picasso himself, however, is determinedly apolitical.The illustrations are useful, plentiful and conveniently located adjacent to the text. Chapters may stand on their own - for example Chapter 28 "Summer at Gosol" has many interesting features that show the artist's creative energy and source of inspiration at the time, the relationship with Ferdinande contrasted with his admiration for a ninety year old patriarch of the tiny mountain village, there perilous journey by mule in and out of Gosol, the atmosphere and the creative joy that Picasso experiences, not to mention the breakthough in his work that occurs at this time. The paperback is sturdily bound and overall, as a read, I found the "story", if you will, a most engaging read.

There should be no doubt that the first two volumes of Richardson's Picasso can be ranked alongside Ellman on both Wilde and Joyce or with Michael Holroyd's bio of Lytton Strachey. If a biographer loves his subject then that is no bad thing. Richard Ellman wrote his bios quite clearly in the style of his subjects and by so doing brought us closer to them.Ellman was obviously completely mesmerised by Oscar Wilde thus the greater the tragedy.Picasso was no such doomed figure. If a ever a man was blessed with talent, opportunity, lovers sycophants,wealth and long life to enjoy them then this little Iberian colossus had it all. Richardson dotes on his client in obvious awe and why not? The book is painstakingly researched and pulls up from being pedantic by the author's ability to describe the historical firmament in which Picasso's star shone. These bit players (Max Jacob, Apollinaire, Braque, etc.) are giants in their own right and yet it is only Matisse who comes out ultimately unscathed. Mr. Richardson has his own favourites and these are evidently Picasso's too.It is made plain that despite the comet of Picasso's life and times and all the bright shining lights his work remained inviolate and the unquestionable raison d'etre of his existence . Picasso takes obvious liberties with his friendships and lovers. If this is how a hugely successful personality can behave then Picasso can obviously be a complete swine. Mr.Richardson paints a picture of a man who, for good or evil, is able to absorb the passed and present literate and plastic art talents and synthesise them into his own staggering vision.It is the unmitigated audacity of Picasso to compare his work on a par with El Greco, Zurbaran, Velazquez, etc. He does though concede their greatness. Nevertheless he has not the slightest doubt that he belongs in that realm. Such nerve! Picasso was no monk (as the elderly Braque has sometimes been described) and evidently had an ego to match his talents. As a biography Richardson's work has to be amazing to read and leave us hungry for more. It also has to leave a bitter residue as evidence of Picasso's sometimes shabby behaviour.How would any of us behave if such greatness were thrust upon us? That is simply one of the unanswerable questions a great biography poses.Now, where are vols. III and IV?

Richardson in his landmark biography of Picasso gingerly walks through the minefields that have been laid in the 100+ years that Picasso has been on the art scene. Picasso is near enough to being our contemporary that it would have been nearly impossible for Richardson to have treated him fairly in the minds of many. One of the foremost issues recently raised, is his attitude towards women and his treatment of his lovers and wives. As for what can be gleaned from this and Vol II, Picasso was probably about average in this respect for a man of his time. Richardson seems to have intelligently not taken the bait and endulged in defending the past against the present.Since Richardson knew Picasso as an intimate friend, there is an air of familiarity that pervades the work. I really enjoyed the feeling of immediacy and of being there when it happened that Richardson has so skillfully woven into the book. In comparison, Simon Schama's monumental biography of Rembrandt (and Rubens) reads more like a peek at the past. Schama can be excused since the passing of nearly 400 years makes writing in the immediate mode difficult and maybe even a little pretentious.Though definitely not hagiaography, Richardson does treat his subject almost like a doting father, but loving his child warts and all. As to the work being a defense of Picasso in his rivalry with Matisse, one could only read that into the work if one was a rabid Matisse fan. I'm sorry but, Matisse being the giant that he was, was no Picasso.The book flows like a river. I was truly transported back into Picasso's life and social scene. I found the artistic analysis of his work to be on target and written without much academic showing off or mumbo-jumbo. If you are looking for a Post-Modernist deconstruction of Picasso, it (thankfully!) isn't here. The historical coverage of Picasso's social circle is excellent and made me want to have been able to attend some of the Picasso's tertulias at Lapin Agile. What an exciting time it must have been. I flashed on Roger Shattuck's book The Banquet Years, which also transports the reader back to Paris in the years 1895 to WW I. Shattuck's book would be a good companion piece or primer for the Richardson series. I saw Richardson give a lecture in 1998 at the College of Santa Fe. He does appear to be along in years and is definitely no Lapin Agile himself. From the gleanings of an after lecture discussion in the hallway with Richardson, it appears that Marylin McCauley, his collaborator on the project, is equally a writer and Picasso scholar and will be the torchbearer for the future editions. My own suspicions are that she may have been the major writer on Vol II. Since Vol II ends only in 1917, there appears to be at least 2 and possibly 3 more volumes to come. This is truly a monumental work and one that reads well. It could have easily turned out to be a "reference" biography reading like a bushel of note cards strung t