Guest post by Renáta Ramocsai, art historian
Paris, December 1612. In front of 7, rue Grands-Augustins, a young painter walks up and down the street, wanting to meet the great master Porbus. He wanders a little, and finally, his footsteps, "in the fullness of his love for art", lead him up the spiral staircase to the door where, for every painter full of dreams, "The Atelier" is located. Fortune favours him, and a strange old man arrives, knocks three times, and opens the door. The old man enters the studio, and the young painter is admitted. Is it that simple? Nicolas Poussin would never have dreamed it...
The above story, a fascinating exploration of the relationship between painting and nature, is a creation of Honoré de Balzac. First published in 1831 as Master Fernhofer, it gained renown as "Unknown Masterpiece". Picasso's connection to this work is intriguing: the thoughts of his protagonist, Master Fernhofer, often mirror the Spanish painter's unique perspective in a startling way ('You do not delve into the depths of form enough!' or 'The art of art is not to copy nature but to express it '). This parallel between the two artists' visions adds a layer of curiosity to the narrative.
Is not to copy nature, but to express it"), and Picasso also illustrated the novel in 1927 at the request of Ambroise Vollard. Last but not least, Picasso, feeling the spirit of the place and knowing the literary aspect of the building, set up his studio on the first and second floors of 7 Grands-Augustins Street in 1937 and lived there from 1942. During these years, he lived with Dora Maar and then with Françoise Gilot from 1944.
The Grands-Augustins Street is located in one of the oldest districts of Paris, on the left bank of the Seine, near the Pont Neuf. It takes its name from a monastery of the Augustinian order, which was demolished in 1791. The famous house number 7 was built in the 17th century. Just like the studio of Master Porbus in Balzac's novel, in reality, Picasso's apartment has become a place of pilgrimage over the years. Painters, poets,
Artists, poets, and art lovers could access Picasso's 'sanctuary' in the early morning hours. The painter's all-rounder, Jaime Sabartes, guarded the sanctuary. Admission was governed by a strict protocol, and influential contacts had to be made to gain access to Picasso.
Yet, miracles happen not only in Balzac's novel but also in real life! For example, the American writer James Lord, an enthusiastic art lover, met the great master (he arrived in France as a soldier in 1944). Not only was he admitted to the studio in the Grands-Augustins, unknown to him, but the young soldier was invited to lunch, where he met Dora Maar, Picasso's muse at the time. This introduction would later prove significant, and James and Dora became good friends. These years are recounted in his book Picasso and Dora by the brave American who, at the end of the lunch, asked Picasso for a portrait and, surprisingly, got one! Shortly afterwards, Lord wanted another picture from the painter, who agreed to do another drawing of the young soldier. Picasso was more relaxed and distant than posterity remembers him. He liked those who sought in him the man, the friend, rather than the unattainable genius. He appreciated people who were committed to art.
Another anecdote proves this. Juan Gyenes, a famous photographer of Hungarian origin who had settled in Spain, stopped by Picasso's studio in the spring of 1953 without prior notice. Although he did not expect success, Picasso found the photographer waiting outside his California villa sympathetic and let him into his home, where he chatted with him amiably. Unfortunately
Picasso was less generous with his children and grandchildren, for whom their father, their favourite grandfather, was mainly unavailable.
Returning to the studio in the Grands-Augustins, let us recall the interior of the studio (May 1943), as described by Françoise Gilot:
"The entrance hall was full of birds - doves, wild pigeons and exotic birds - all in wicker cages, plus those nasty prickly houseplants you often see in the doorways...We followed Sabartés into a long, large room. Guitars, mandolins and other musical instruments on old Louis XIII chairs and chairs
The long table in front of us and the two extended workbenches against the right wall were covered with a mass of books, magazines, newspapers, piles of photographs, hats and all sorts of things."
The first-floor rooms were decorated with paintings by Matisse, Vámos Rousseau and Modigliani, and a small spiral staircase led up to the second floor, where the vast studio was located. From here, you could 'climb' up a ladder to the attic of the building, which Picasso called the 'forest', his secret, secluded realm with a magnificent view of the houses in the area. Several
Many of Picasso's masterpieces, including Guernica in 1937, were created in the Grands-Augustins. From 1946, Picasso spent more time in the south of France but kept his famous Paris studio until his death.
The end of Balzac's novella is as follows: after much persuasion, Master Fernhofer unveils his work, which he has been perfecting for ten years, to Master Porbus and young Poussin. It turns out that Catherine Lescault, or the Binding Maid, exists only in the eyes of Master Fernhofer, while the other two painters see nothing but thick layers of paint and traces of repainting. The rapturous praise fails, and Master Fernhofer is shaken. That very night, he burns all his canvases and kills himself... Fortunately, Picasso ignored the opinions of others all his life.
Stay tuned as we explore Picasso's life and his legacy together!
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