Picasso on the National Geographic Channel (1 Viewer)

[ivanmoe]

Starring Antonio Banderas as Pablo, this is a follow-on to last year’s “Genius” (the actual name of the program), a series about Albert Einstein.

Just started, now, BTW.

-Moe

 

[mikemiller1955]

I have this set to record...
I'm watching the Astros tonight...
but will watch this tomorrow...
I thought Einstein was pretty good...
very informative to me...

 

[ivanmoe]

So, I’m sitting here and watching Antonio and the rest of the cast...and I’m thinking that “Pablo’s girlfriend” looks a lot like one of “Einstein’s wives” (from the previous series). Sure enough, the actress is one Samantha Colley. She must be someone’s niece!

-Moe

 

[jazzeum]

As with Einstein, the series is superficial, not to say it's not enjoyable. There is an emphasis on sex (although not totally) because it sells.

Walter Isaacson’s book on Einstein was more thorough, looking at his life in all its aspects and Isaacson made his theories somewhat understandable even for science cement heads like me.

I have always been a fan of Picasso, having lived in Barcelona (and visited the Picasso Museum, although not enough), been interested in the Spanish Civil War and all things Spanish. I also admired Picasso’s stand for refusing to step a foot into Spain while Franco was alive. If you’ll notice, my avatar is from a Picasso painting.

To understand Picasso I’d recommend Henri Georges Clouzot’s “La Mystere Picasso,” which you can see on Amazon Prime.

I have read that Mary Shelley will be the next subject of Genius and hopefully that will be interesting.

 

[jazzeum]

Interestingly, the actress Samantha Colley, who plays Dora Maar in Picasso, played Maric, Einstein’s first wife.

 

[jazzeum]

This article about Guernica may be of interest to those who are watching the series.

A Different Guernica

The article, about Xabier Irujo's book on Guernica, Gernika 1937, The Market Day Massacre, is written by John Richardson, Picasso's biographer who has written volume 1 of a planned four volume biography.

 

[jazzeum]

Somewhat interesting episode about his blue period and how he painted La Vie or La Vida.

By the way, Richardson has finished three of his four volume work, not just the one volume I mentioned.

 

[jazzeum]

The last couple of episodes have been quite good, especially the last one, which focused, in part, on Henri Rousseau, whose paintings I have always loved (see http://www.henrirousseau.org); and Apollonaire, whom Picasso disavowed from knowing during the Mona Lisa theft incident. He was quite an interesting individual. See https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/guillaume-apollinaire

One of Rousseau's paintings is on exhibit at the Met in NY, https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/438822

 

[jazzeum]

For those of you who watched the series, there is an article about Francoise Gilot and her new book in today's New York Times,

In a New Book of Sketches Francoise Gilot Clears Her Mind of the Past

 

[Mirof]

I loved the serie

The different periods in time were well rendered on the screen . Jumping up and back through time was also very interesting, also when he first meet people you have only first name, it was a real pleasure to identify who they were before the full name appeared 1 to 3 episode(s) later .

I don't remember any sex, all was suggested; and you can not understand Picasso's life separating him from his interest
in young women . He was arrogant and proud and could not understand that a woman he left or who left him, could have a better life with another man . IMHO, for him life was painting, creating new concept in painting, making money and women at his feet ( in this order I think )

I enjoyed very much the serie .