What do you think?
Rate this book
Пикасо: биография
Всичко у Пикасо е огромно с изключение на ръста му. Легендарен е апетитът му за секс и пари, за храна и алкохол, за приятели и свади, за комедия и трагедия. Нито един художник от първа величина не е бил толкова страховито продуктивен.
Нито един художник, от която и да било величина не е печелил толкова пари. Неколцина художници съперничат на деветдесетгодишния му живот, но нито един не е привличал толкова неутолим обществен интерес. Творецът, който се появява от страниците на тази написана с ерудиция и страст биография, е изтъкан от много противоречия: суров и нежен, подъл и щедър, затворен в себе си въпреки насладата от известността.
Патрик О Брайън години наред живее в съседство с Пикасо в Южна Франция и го познава добре. Книгата представя в пълнота средиземноморските корени на личността и изкуството на Пикасо.
„Най-добрата биография на Пикасо.“
– КенетКларк
Нито един художник, от която и да било величина не е печелил толкова пари. Неколцина художници съперничат на деветдесетгодишния му живот, но нито един не е привличал толкова неутолим обществен интерес. Творецът, който се появява от страниците на тази написана с ерудиция и страст биография, е изтъкан от много противоречия: суров и нежен, подъл и щедър, затворен в себе си въпреки насладата от известността.
Патрик О Брайън години наред живее в съседство с Пикасо в Южна Франция и го познава добре. Книгата представя в пълнота средиземноморските корени на личността и изкуството на Пикасо.
„Най-добрата биография на Пикасо.“
– КенетКларк
312 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
127 people are currently reading
602 people want to read
About the author
Patrick O'Brian
208 books2,412 followersPatrick O'Brian's acclaimed Aubrey-Maturin series of historical novels has been described as "a masterpiece" (David Mamet, New York Times), "addictively readable" (Patrick T. Reardon, Chicago Tribune), and "the best historical novels ever written" (Richard Snow, New York Times Book Review), which "should have been on those lists of the greatest novels of the 20th century" (George Will).
Set in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, O'Brian's twenty-volume series centers on the enduring friendship between naval officer Jack Aubrey and physician (and spy) Stephen Maturin. The Far Side of the World, the tenth book in the series, was adapted into a 2003 film directed by Peter Weir and starring Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany. The film was nominated for ten Oscars, including Best Picture. The books are now available in hardcover, paperback, and e-book format.
In addition to the Aubrey-Maturin novels, Patrick O'Brian wrote several books including the novels Testimonies, The Golden Ocean, and The Unknown Shore, as well as biographies of Joseph Banks and Picasso. He translated many works from French into English, among them the novels and memoirs of Simone de Beauvoir, the first volume of Jean Lacouture's biography of Charles de Gaulle, and famed fugitive Henri Cherriere's memoir Papillon. O'Brian died in January 2000.
The Aubrey-Maturin Series on Goodreads
Set in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, O'Brian's twenty-volume series centers on the enduring friendship between naval officer Jack Aubrey and physician (and spy) Stephen Maturin. The Far Side of the World, the tenth book in the series, was adapted into a 2003 film directed by Peter Weir and starring Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany. The film was nominated for ten Oscars, including Best Picture. The books are now available in hardcover, paperback, and e-book format.
In addition to the Aubrey-Maturin novels, Patrick O'Brian wrote several books including the novels Testimonies, The Golden Ocean, and The Unknown Shore, as well as biographies of Joseph Banks and Picasso. He translated many works from French into English, among them the novels and memoirs of Simone de Beauvoir, the first volume of Jean Lacouture's biography of Charles de Gaulle, and famed fugitive Henri Cherriere's memoir Papillon. O'Brian died in January 2000.
The Aubrey-Maturin Series on Goodreads
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
November 27, 2014
There are many aggravating things about this nonetheless serviceable single volume biography of the great Spanish artist. First there is the publisher’s decision to shorten the title to just Picasso. The author made a big deal about using Picasso’s full name to give credit to his earliest influences in Malaga and Barcelona but the publisher decided to simplify things. Never mind the Pablo Ruiz, just Picasso the front and back cover and spine declare. The late author tells us in the Preface “its title is designed to emphasize the importance of those years of his life when he was Pablo Ruiz…” I insist, despite ultimately poor relations with Patrick O’Brian, the book’s author, and estimable novelist of the Master and Commander series, on the full title.
After the publisher’s error of judgment all the remaining aggravating things are O’Brian’s responsibility. But first, the positives. Patrick O’Brian is a fine writer, a bit brawny, but clear, direct and capable with a scene, a narrative, and an idea. His descriptions of Picasso’s works almost make up for the lack of any illustrations in the book. He makes more than a few very insightful observations. For example, Picasso “lived in crowded isolation.” And, “Shyness is the most catching of all the emotions.” I’m not sure I agree with that observation but it reads profoundly well. O’Brian is very convincing about Picasso’s youthful influences, though like Richardson and all other biographers it seems, he is meanly condescending to his painter-father. He does a particularly convincing job with Picasso’s time in Barcelona and his Catalan friends. He describes Picasso’s lengthy visits to the extremely remote mountain areas and how they inspired his work and his understanding of animals, peasant pageantry, cycles of life, and human dignity and work.
Next, the tricky part. O’Brian does two, well, three, things that really aggravate. He does call a spade a spade when it comes to the artist’s frequently abominable behavior but he contextualizes beyond the strength of context to carry a load for trashy behavior. For example, there is this, “a man under great emotional stress will often transfer part of the blame for his suffering from his wife to his mistress.” Holy Rod Stewart, Batman! If I’ve done that once, I’ve done that a thousand times myself. Wife to mistress to girlfriend in waiting, stress always causes me to make that transfer. Why didn’t I think to apply that experience to poor Pablo’s situation.
Second, he just gets nasty at times. O’Brian sneers and snipes at and slanders many of the women in Picasso’s life. When the elderly Picasso who has, despite hypochondria, lived an amazingly illness-free life into his 80s, finally gets sick there can only be one cause that leads from illness to death, and it is not old age. Why should Picasso not remain immortal? O’Brian can only assume the “reasons why it should were in the first place Francois Gilot….” Gilot’s crime was her book, a betrayal that depicted Picasso, in O’Brian’s words, not Gilot’s, as “a ridiculous, an odious figure and even worse a bore.” It was Gilot who killed Picasso, in the library with the memoir! Apparently, it is okay for the Great Man to take liberties in his art with the bodies and faces of his lovers but his lovers must not make any public comment on the Great Man. Turnabout is not fair play but betrayal of the worst kind, warranting the worst retaliations.
Third, O’Brian himself says the worst things about Picasso only to rise on his hind-quarters, fangs bared, bark and bite deployed, when others do it, or only seem to do it to O’Brian’s tender eyes. Apparently some writers when under great emotional stress will often transfer part of the blame for their judgments to other people’s mistresses, particularly if she writes and knows the subject better than he does. He does this with Gilot but with others too. Picasso was not an ideal father and perhaps did not demonstrate sufficient fatherly and grandfatherly love to his offspring but, cautions O’Brian in the interests of reason and balance, “surely there is the implied condition that his children should be reasonably lovable.” O’Brian’s Picasso, not Gilot's, is a monster, perhaps a “sacred monster” as he tries often to argue, but a monster…a ridiculous, odious monster and a bore. His defenses… “No one will deny that it is often the duty of the creative man to be selfish.” (O’Brian will never use a gender neutral noun like artist when a gender specific noun might suffice, so not a creative artist but a creative man.) There was, he unruefully observes, “room for only one tormented mind” in this relationship. Sorry, Dora Maar. When the stress of managing his chaotic sex life (not nearly as stressful as it was for the women, but never mind) got to him Picasso “would speak wistfully of a harem.”
Okay, you say, I see the point O’Brian makes his subject out to be odious and a bore but what about ridiculous? Here is the book’s most entertaining sentence: “Picasso was furious and perfectly mute: he would not even eat his pudding.” So the book’s aggravating qualities reduce the value of this single-volume life dramatically, despite its aforementioned utility on his early influences and O’Brian’s otherwise often capable descriptive powers. The best alternative is Richardson’s lavishly illustrated masterwork, three volumes and counting. But in a pinch, there is O’Brian, with the pinch being necessary for holding one’s nose during the odious and ridiculous parts.
After the publisher’s error of judgment all the remaining aggravating things are O’Brian’s responsibility. But first, the positives. Patrick O’Brian is a fine writer, a bit brawny, but clear, direct and capable with a scene, a narrative, and an idea. His descriptions of Picasso’s works almost make up for the lack of any illustrations in the book. He makes more than a few very insightful observations. For example, Picasso “lived in crowded isolation.” And, “Shyness is the most catching of all the emotions.” I’m not sure I agree with that observation but it reads profoundly well. O’Brian is very convincing about Picasso’s youthful influences, though like Richardson and all other biographers it seems, he is meanly condescending to his painter-father. He does a particularly convincing job with Picasso’s time in Barcelona and his Catalan friends. He describes Picasso’s lengthy visits to the extremely remote mountain areas and how they inspired his work and his understanding of animals, peasant pageantry, cycles of life, and human dignity and work.
Next, the tricky part. O’Brian does two, well, three, things that really aggravate. He does call a spade a spade when it comes to the artist’s frequently abominable behavior but he contextualizes beyond the strength of context to carry a load for trashy behavior. For example, there is this, “a man under great emotional stress will often transfer part of the blame for his suffering from his wife to his mistress.” Holy Rod Stewart, Batman! If I’ve done that once, I’ve done that a thousand times myself. Wife to mistress to girlfriend in waiting, stress always causes me to make that transfer. Why didn’t I think to apply that experience to poor Pablo’s situation.
Second, he just gets nasty at times. O’Brian sneers and snipes at and slanders many of the women in Picasso’s life. When the elderly Picasso who has, despite hypochondria, lived an amazingly illness-free life into his 80s, finally gets sick there can only be one cause that leads from illness to death, and it is not old age. Why should Picasso not remain immortal? O’Brian can only assume the “reasons why it should were in the first place Francois Gilot….” Gilot’s crime was her book, a betrayal that depicted Picasso, in O’Brian’s words, not Gilot’s, as “a ridiculous, an odious figure and even worse a bore.” It was Gilot who killed Picasso, in the library with the memoir! Apparently, it is okay for the Great Man to take liberties in his art with the bodies and faces of his lovers but his lovers must not make any public comment on the Great Man. Turnabout is not fair play but betrayal of the worst kind, warranting the worst retaliations.
Third, O’Brian himself says the worst things about Picasso only to rise on his hind-quarters, fangs bared, bark and bite deployed, when others do it, or only seem to do it to O’Brian’s tender eyes. Apparently some writers when under great emotional stress will often transfer part of the blame for their judgments to other people’s mistresses, particularly if she writes and knows the subject better than he does. He does this with Gilot but with others too. Picasso was not an ideal father and perhaps did not demonstrate sufficient fatherly and grandfatherly love to his offspring but, cautions O’Brian in the interests of reason and balance, “surely there is the implied condition that his children should be reasonably lovable.” O’Brian’s Picasso, not Gilot's, is a monster, perhaps a “sacred monster” as he tries often to argue, but a monster…a ridiculous, odious monster and a bore. His defenses… “No one will deny that it is often the duty of the creative man to be selfish.” (O’Brian will never use a gender neutral noun like artist when a gender specific noun might suffice, so not a creative artist but a creative man.) There was, he unruefully observes, “room for only one tormented mind” in this relationship. Sorry, Dora Maar. When the stress of managing his chaotic sex life (not nearly as stressful as it was for the women, but never mind) got to him Picasso “would speak wistfully of a harem.”
Okay, you say, I see the point O’Brian makes his subject out to be odious and a bore but what about ridiculous? Here is the book’s most entertaining sentence: “Picasso was furious and perfectly mute: he would not even eat his pudding.” So the book’s aggravating qualities reduce the value of this single-volume life dramatically, despite its aforementioned utility on his early influences and O’Brian’s otherwise often capable descriptive powers. The best alternative is Richardson’s lavishly illustrated masterwork, three volumes and counting. But in a pinch, there is O’Brian, with the pinch being necessary for holding one’s nose during the odious and ridiculous parts.
December 8, 2016
I started this biography in French before realising that it had originally been written in English and finished it in the original. Patrick O'Brian does an amazing job of describing this greatest and most prolific of all 20th C artists who produced such a range of art that changed as he aged and matured and changed and left us masterpieces like Guernica which I spend at least an hour in front of overtime I am in Madrid. He was not the nicest person - ask some of his ex-wives - but he was the ultimate artist in temperament and in execution. Sculpture, drawings, etchings, small portraits, large format paintings - his art is so highly evocative and so often provocative. If you wish to understand a bit more of what you may have seen at Musée Picasso in Paris, at the Picasso Museum in Antibes, the Picassos in any number of hundreds of collections around the world, I would highly recommend this fantastic biography.
November 7, 2021
The work is complete and it stays objective and careful about positing meaning from Picasso’s work or much that passed inside the artist’s mind.
Of course, this sterility makes for a less interesting take on the Monster sacre.
Only Michelangelo outstripped Picasso as an artist of talent, depth, and versatility.
Picasso’s paints, sculptures, collages, ceramics, and metals are truly prodigious. His opening into cubism and surrealism and his iconoclasm even in the face of his great contributions to so much art makes his standing in the artist’s pantheon even that much greater.
Personally, like so many great men he would be deemed a failure. A habitual rogue, an absent father, a man more interested in holding court and holding a goblet, but rarely do great accomplishments not come with great compromises and even greater contradictions.
Of course, this sterility makes for a less interesting take on the Monster sacre.
Only Michelangelo outstripped Picasso as an artist of talent, depth, and versatility.
Picasso’s paints, sculptures, collages, ceramics, and metals are truly prodigious. His opening into cubism and surrealism and his iconoclasm even in the face of his great contributions to so much art makes his standing in the artist’s pantheon even that much greater.
Personally, like so many great men he would be deemed a failure. A habitual rogue, an absent father, a man more interested in holding court and holding a goblet, but rarely do great accomplishments not come with great compromises and even greater contradictions.
August 29, 2017
I liked this biography but most books like this would have a section in the center with a few black and white photos. It's hard to visualize described paintings.
Also the author is far too present, his opinions so saturate this biography that it drips from the page.
Also the author is far too present, his opinions so saturate this biography that it drips from the page.
January 8, 2009
Perceptive biography covering much more than the events in Picasso's life. The historical context is vital and O'Brian gives you a first-hand experience of the stark living conditions in both world wars, as well as the hard years of hunger in Montmartre before Picasso was well-known. His descriptions of Picasso's art were so evocative that I ended up spending hours looking for images on the net and also studying the works of artists who inspired him such as Goya, Manet, Zurbaran and Velazquez. As for Picasso's personal life, his many lovers, and his arrogant behavior... I felt that O'Brian bent over backwards trying to defend his friend Pablo. It is worth checking out the other side of the tale and I found a fascinating interview with Francoise Gilot online. She hurt his pride terribly when she left him and even more so when she wrote about her life with him, but he was no angel.
February 27, 2022
2.5
The descriptions of the phases and evolution of Picasso’s work suffered immensely for the lack of illustrations. An exhaustive catalog is not required, but how about 10-20 of those on which the author lavished paragraphs upon paragraphs of interpretation?
This biography significantly expanded my knowledge of the man and sparked intense interest in (and improved understanding of) his work, but I have to say that it is amazing that a renowned and adulterous womanizer is portrayed as having suffered cruelly when the lovers he tossed published memoirs infringing on his privacy.
The descriptions of the phases and evolution of Picasso’s work suffered immensely for the lack of illustrations. An exhaustive catalog is not required, but how about 10-20 of those on which the author lavished paragraphs upon paragraphs of interpretation?
This biography significantly expanded my knowledge of the man and sparked intense interest in (and improved understanding of) his work, but I have to say that it is amazing that a renowned and adulterous womanizer is portrayed as having suffered cruelly when the lovers he tossed published memoirs infringing on his privacy.
March 1, 2025
I am always very leery of biographies, especially when I don't know much beyond the average about the subject. I knew I liked Picasso and I knew I wanted to learn more about his life. This is a comprehensive account of his life from birth to death. It is long and goes into a lot. All good things. I learned a lot.
But I could not help but feel, especially when Picasso's treatment of women and later, his membership in the Communist party, was mentioned, that I was reading a book WAY too much through the lens of a privileged, white, male boomer who had no intention of ever broadening his perspective. The way he completely dismissed Picasso's terrible treatment of many of the women in his life, going so far as to say at one point, (paraphraing), "yeah, she complained he abused her, but with the way she was acting can you blame him...." So, ah...yeah. He goes so far as to write a whole open letter at the start of this book complaining about the Ariana Huffington Picasso biography that is critical of Picasso because of his treatment of women. From what I read, it seems Patrick O'Brian doesn't really think women exist (except in how they relate to a man) and he does not respect them at all. I saw the privileged boomer again when he couldn't bring himself to really discuss Picasso's reasons for joining and remaining in the Communist party in Europe. He kept trying to make excuses, play it down and didn't even think to consider, that maybe, just maybe, Picasso had his own, not American sensibilities and life experiences that had nothing to do with Patrick O'Brian's sensibilities and life experiences. So, while I found this a comprehensive biography and I did learn a lot, I just got so sick by the end of hearing yet another white, privileged man pretend that his experience and his perspective is the only one that matters or... exists.
But I could not help but feel, especially when Picasso's treatment of women and later, his membership in the Communist party, was mentioned, that I was reading a book WAY too much through the lens of a privileged, white, male boomer who had no intention of ever broadening his perspective. The way he completely dismissed Picasso's terrible treatment of many of the women in his life, going so far as to say at one point, (paraphraing), "yeah, she complained he abused her, but with the way she was acting can you blame him...." So, ah...yeah. He goes so far as to write a whole open letter at the start of this book complaining about the Ariana Huffington Picasso biography that is critical of Picasso because of his treatment of women. From what I read, it seems Patrick O'Brian doesn't really think women exist (except in how they relate to a man) and he does not respect them at all. I saw the privileged boomer again when he couldn't bring himself to really discuss Picasso's reasons for joining and remaining in the Communist party in Europe. He kept trying to make excuses, play it down and didn't even think to consider, that maybe, just maybe, Picasso had his own, not American sensibilities and life experiences that had nothing to do with Patrick O'Brian's sensibilities and life experiences. So, while I found this a comprehensive biography and I did learn a lot, I just got so sick by the end of hearing yet another white, privileged man pretend that his experience and his perspective is the only one that matters or... exists.
May 7, 2018
In preparing for NatGeo's second season of its "Genius" series, I read O'Brian's biography of the iconic artisan. His Picasso is sometimes surly but always surreal; O'Brian apparently knew him. This "advantage" immeasurably helps shape this psychological/humanistic/artistic study of who was probably the 20th century's greatest painter. We see and meet the many fires (human and otherwise) that ignited Picasso's creativity and output (he himself helped light this tandem. He was an astoundingly hard worker). Yet his contradictions fanned such flames (in his heart he was always a Spaniard. But he would refer to himself as either French or Spanish, depending on the situation he found himself in or the person he was with). While O'Brian's bio is penetrating, it doesn't contain any photos or any reproductions of any of Picasso's works. As O'Brian describes them, the reader has to toggle back and forth between book and Wikipedia for the images of what Picasso wrought. This leads to quite a labor-intensive reading experience. But on the plus side, O'Brian admiringly doesn't let his interactions with Picasso color his view of Picasso the man nor his idiosyncrasies. O'Brian's Picasso is not on a pedestal. Instead Pablo's feet are firmly on the ground, warts and all. This contradictory and very human craftsman's story is, on the whole, well told by O'Brian. May the second series of "Genius" visualize the light and the dark as well as Patrick O'Brian.
January 18, 2021
Probably 2.5 stars is more of an accurate judgement of my opinion on this book. Certainly, there is a lot of information contained within it and it is an obviously well-researched biography. Sometimes there are some interesting insights into the art and the artist. At times, it is especially good - such as the very moving account of the Gestapo seizing friends of Picasso in Paris, 1944.
However, there were less of these than I had hoped for. Several things also substantially lessened my enjoyment of the book. The first two can’t really be blamed on the author: the lack of pictures and the densely types pages. Both are down to the publication.
What did personally limit my enjoyment, was his rather heavy prose, which seemed to lack any excitement of the art; perhaps reflecting the old art history stuffiness. Certainly, there seemed to be the ‘great men of history’ type of view, which rarely discussed the historical forces at work which helped shape such a great artist.
My biggest issue with the book though, was how women are described and referred to throughout it. Almost without exception, all are dismissed and belittled. I have no idea of the author’s intention, but the tone came across to me as one of sneering, whenever the person happened to be female.
This biography is highly thought of and many rate it, not me though, I’m afraid.
However, there were less of these than I had hoped for. Several things also substantially lessened my enjoyment of the book. The first two can’t really be blamed on the author: the lack of pictures and the densely types pages. Both are down to the publication.
What did personally limit my enjoyment, was his rather heavy prose, which seemed to lack any excitement of the art; perhaps reflecting the old art history stuffiness. Certainly, there seemed to be the ‘great men of history’ type of view, which rarely discussed the historical forces at work which helped shape such a great artist.
My biggest issue with the book though, was how women are described and referred to throughout it. Almost without exception, all are dismissed and belittled. I have no idea of the author’s intention, but the tone came across to me as one of sneering, whenever the person happened to be female.
This biography is highly thought of and many rate it, not me though, I’m afraid.
August 2, 2017
I’ve been reading this book for a long time, too long. It’s again made me reflect on the problems of biographies: the familiar pattern of a life can make them boring; how much detail to provide (usually too much in my experience); and how to keep the story moving along when lives are full of unrelated events? O’Brian had the extra problem that because Picasso created tens of thousands of art works he had to decide which to write about and had to describe them in a book without pictures. He noted at the beginning that many biographies didn’t describe the works and that art critics said little about Picasso’s life; he tried to steer a middle course, and I think did well.
Picasso was in many ways a deeply unpleasant man, but he had many friends and many lovers. But all of these were incidental: for him the work was everything. He painted, drew, sculpted, and made prints and pots almost every day of his 90 year life. His creativity was astonishing and unequalled, I believe.
He lived through two world wars, was in Paris during the German Occupation, was exiled from Spain, and lived most of his life in France but remained profoundly Spanish. His relationships with women and even more so with his many children were largely unsatisfactory. He was perhaps ultimately alone, occupying a space few other humans ever know.
Picasso was in many ways a deeply unpleasant man, but he had many friends and many lovers. But all of these were incidental: for him the work was everything. He painted, drew, sculpted, and made prints and pots almost every day of his 90 year life. His creativity was astonishing and unequalled, I believe.
He lived through two world wars, was in Paris during the German Occupation, was exiled from Spain, and lived most of his life in France but remained profoundly Spanish. His relationships with women and even more so with his many children were largely unsatisfactory. He was perhaps ultimately alone, occupying a space few other humans ever know.
March 2, 2022
Very good and easy read biography of Picasso.This book contains facts about early sales of his work with prices of paintings and stuff like that and that to me is very interressting because it shows that to those who understood that this was to become great art they really discovered one of the great artists BEFORE he was great and that to me is worth respect.In the book we can follow his road from unknown to worldfamous and we can understand for example that without Guernica he would not have been so famous.Also some things about his privat life are funny to read although I belive that those passages in this biography,as well in other biographies,tend more to be like a novell than facts in a biography and shouldn´t be taken to seriously.Some people may find it amusing to read what Picasso had for lunch or how long he sleept or how many children he had and so on but I find that type of information more in the gossipsection and therefore more suitable in a novell about the artist.
However this biography doesn´t fall over to this type of texts but balances more over to pure facts and thatt´s makes this book interesting
However this biography doesn´t fall over to this type of texts but balances more over to pure facts and thatt´s makes this book interesting
September 23, 2017
It took a lot of determination to get through this book. Bio of a versatile and long living artist with an eventful life during eventful period of history and a great amount of variety in his art, should be a lot more interesting to read. It was a tough read - banal writing, boring presentation, significantly less insight on art, pretty biased take - lost between a factual documentation approach and dramatic retelling of Picasso's life. There is lot of literature on Picasso - wish I skipped this one !
July 13, 2023
Lo consiglio a chi è interessato alla vita del pittore? Assolutamente. A chi è interessato alla sua arte? Con riserva.
Ovviamente il sottotitolo è una biografia quindi giustamente l'autore si concentra sugli eventi vissuti da Picasso, le relazioni e i luoghi, però personalmente avrei preferito una maggior analisi del suo pensiero, della filosofia che pregna la sua arte: non che questi aspetti manchino, anzi, ma l'assenza así immagini dei suoi quadri e il non essere l'argomento centrale me lo ha fatto apprezzare meno di quanto mi aspettassi perché personalmente adoro il fondersi tra vita, quotidiano e visione artistica, espressione, pensiero, formazione, la crasi alla base del processo creativo.
Inoltre mi ha lasciata un po' fredda è stato lo stile: molto freddo, pedissequo, senza guizzi né potenza, mentre mi immaginavo un ribollire di parole per dipingere un artista così vivo, un vulcano che gli rendesse onore: invece il tutto risulta abbastanza asettico fin'anche dimesso.
Ovviamente il sottotitolo è una biografia quindi giustamente l'autore si concentra sugli eventi vissuti da Picasso, le relazioni e i luoghi, però personalmente avrei preferito una maggior analisi del suo pensiero, della filosofia che pregna la sua arte: non che questi aspetti manchino, anzi, ma l'assenza así immagini dei suoi quadri e il non essere l'argomento centrale me lo ha fatto apprezzare meno di quanto mi aspettassi perché personalmente adoro il fondersi tra vita, quotidiano e visione artistica, espressione, pensiero, formazione, la crasi alla base del processo creativo.
Inoltre mi ha lasciata un po' fredda è stato lo stile: molto freddo, pedissequo, senza guizzi né potenza, mentre mi immaginavo un ribollire di parole per dipingere un artista così vivo, un vulcano che gli rendesse onore: invece il tutto risulta abbastanza asettico fin'anche dimesso.
October 15, 2020
Kurzer Auszug a.d. viel längeren Rezension m. Links u. Hintergründen i. m. Blog:
Biograf Patrick O'Brian schrieb viele erfolgreiche historische Romane. Auch seine Picasso-Biografie liest sich wie eine genüssliche, geruhsame Erzählung – recht lebendig, sprachlich solid, nie dramatisierend. Zwar berichtet O'Brian chronologisch, doch gern schweift er auch ab, greift voraus und verallgemeinert ein bisschen.
Biograf Patrick O'Brian schrieb viele erfolgreiche historische Romane. Auch seine Picasso-Biografie liest sich wie eine genüssliche, geruhsame Erzählung – recht lebendig, sprachlich solid, nie dramatisierend. Zwar berichtet O'Brian chronologisch, doch gern schweift er auch ab, greift voraus und verallgemeinert ein bisschen.
July 8, 2018
Very disappointed. the book is crammed full of detail, much of which is unnecessary and over elaborate - in fact the anthesis of the subject matter. What makes it even harder is the lack of any visual aids. It must be one of the few books about an artist without any examples of his work. Laborious and dull.
December 22, 2019
Well written. The author knew and liked Picasso, but this is not a sycophantic biography.
I found a good web site, which showed the majority of picasso's paintings by year and I was able to see the paintings that were described in the book.
I found a good web site, which showed the majority of picasso's paintings by year and I was able to see the paintings that were described in the book.
Want to read
January 8, 2024___________________________________
FROM BOOK: La grande Parigi. 1900-1920. Il periodo d’oro dell’arte moderna (Jacopo Veneziani)
FROM BOOK: La grande Parigi. 1900-1920. Il periodo d’oro dell’arte moderna (Jacopo Veneziani)
March 9, 2021
Good book. Very old, from the 70's
Not a single photo of Picasso or a single drawing of his work, very disappointing.
Not a single photo of Picasso or a single drawing of his work, very disappointing.
January 5, 2022
Very good as history, but the book definitely should include pictures of mentioned pictures and sculptures; it would make explanations more easily understandable.
April 21, 2023
What a horrible misogynistic book.
October 6, 2023
Some interesting parts I am especially fond of anecdotes about Gertrude Stein etc, but much of it factual if not dull/he had such an interesting life, this seems to make it boring.
April 13, 2022
This is probably the best biography written about Picasso. Pablo Picasso is one of the most known and important artists in our era. He was born in Spain and he emigrated as a youngster to Paris where he became a star. During his long life (91 years) Picasso created the Cubist style and experiment with various aesthetics in his career.
In my view, I can probably say that this is the most complete biography of Picasso. Although short - which is not too bad for a biography - the book covers all aspects of Picasso's rich life.
In the book, I dislike all the critical descriptions of the artworks that interfere with the storytelling of the biography itself.
On the contrary, I was particularly interested to know how Picasso became so famous, his family roots and his relationship with the most important historical events that he encountered (such as the two world wars). I was particularly drawn and fascinated by the relationship that the Spanish artist had with death. Picasso was afraid of death throughout all is life and obviously in the late years when he fall into a severe depression.
In my view, I can probably say that this is the most complete biography of Picasso. Although short - which is not too bad for a biography - the book covers all aspects of Picasso's rich life.
In the book, I dislike all the critical descriptions of the artworks that interfere with the storytelling of the biography itself.
On the contrary, I was particularly interested to know how Picasso became so famous, his family roots and his relationship with the most important historical events that he encountered (such as the two world wars). I was particularly drawn and fascinated by the relationship that the Spanish artist had with death. Picasso was afraid of death throughout all is life and obviously in the late years when he fall into a severe depression.
May 11, 2023
Although stopping short of a full hagiography, there is nonetheless an undercurrent of constant misogyny and a whole lot of disingenuousness and obfuscation to justify Picasso’s worst traits and behaviours that rather spoils this book. And that is a pity, because the art criticism is sound, even tender, the author’s perspective on Picasso’s oeuvre is clear sighted and he avoids going into flights of fancy that seem to be hallmark of a lot of art biographers. It’s unfortunate then, that he seems to believe that being a genius gave Picasso some sort of free pass in life, and the author will defend Picasso’s actions ( even by not mentioning certain shameful facts) to the detriment of the quality of his own book. Besides the fact narrative is deliberately incomplete, a lot of his comments particularly in relation to Gilot and Picasso’s children and grandchildren are downright ludicrous. It’s like the doesn’t believe the readers are capable of appreciating Picasso’s work unless his weaknesses as a man are smoothed over. Well we can safely say 42 years later, he has been proven wrong.
January 23, 2016
"Much the best biography of Picasso", toots the blurb on the cover of this book. I can't comment on that, having never read any others, but this is certainly exhaustive. It covers his entire life and appears well researched, with detailed descriptions of Picasso's work. For me, I would have liked more about the man and less about the art, and is it me or is it odd to have a biography of such a prolific artist that doesn't include any pictures? The only other difficulty I had with this book was that the author's clearly overwhelming admiration for Picasso leads him to be rather dismissive of everyone else in the artist's life. This applies particularly to his girlfriends and wives, who are universally treated as disposable and in many cases described in terms that verge on misogyny. It's still a fascinating look at an unusual man, but contains a bit too much of the author for me to really love this book.
October 20, 2016
This earthy biography is a delight to read. Starting with the revelation that young Pablo’s initiation as a draughtsman was drawing arabesques with his finger in the sand of Malaga, O’Brian goes on in the same paragraph to reveal the Arab derivation of a common Spanish expression.
O’Brian’s impressive research is complimented by his insightful and generous view of the man and the artist. O’Brian observes that
even at the end of his life Picasso’s pictures were “sparkling and fresh with invention; and invention… is the sole proof of genius”.
Commenting on the controversy surrounding “Guernica” the writer reminds us “Perhaps art has nothing to do with politics nor with morals; but it quite certainly has to do with the distinction between true and false”. A distinction which is, alas, at risk of vanishing in 2016.
O’Brian’s impressive research is complimented by his insightful and generous view of the man and the artist. O’Brian observes that
even at the end of his life Picasso’s pictures were “sparkling and fresh with invention; and invention… is the sole proof of genius”.
Commenting on the controversy surrounding “Guernica” the writer reminds us “Perhaps art has nothing to do with politics nor with morals; but it quite certainly has to do with the distinction between true and false”. A distinction which is, alas, at risk of vanishing in 2016.
July 16, 2011
"Picasso: A Biography is written by someone who klnew the great painter personally. There are several biases that are apaprent, mostly favorable to the subject and the author frequently obscures facrts with his own opinions.
That ssid, the book otherwise provides an excellent and in depth portrait of this revolutionary artist. It shines when he is describing Picasso's art and downplays some of Picasso's idiosyncracies. It is best read with copies of some of his artwork nearby, to better appreciate some of the descriptions. Overall, I enjoyed the book, it is well written and I learned a great deal about this great artist.
That ssid, the book otherwise provides an excellent and in depth portrait of this revolutionary artist. It shines when he is describing Picasso's art and downplays some of Picasso's idiosyncracies. It is best read with copies of some of his artwork nearby, to better appreciate some of the descriptions. Overall, I enjoyed the book, it is well written and I learned a great deal about this great artist.
Want to read
December 28, 2013This is a dense, beautifully written biography. I set it aside for now because I need to get my hands on an artist monograph in order to have Picasso's paintings in front of me as I read O'Brian's book. He refers to specific paintings in great detail, and it's a shame not to be looking at them while reading. So, I'll get back to this.
September 25, 2019
Sad to finish this very interesting book about Picasso. It has so many fascinating details not only about his his many periods of painting but about his friends, wives, lovers and children. If you are a fan of Picasso, I would say this is a must read.
O’Brien was in his circle at large at some point so he had access to some inside information.
O’Brien was in his circle at large at some point so he had access to some inside information.
September 22, 2007
THE definitive biography of Picasso. A bit long, but if you like bios, you won't be able to put it down.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews