This program depicts the younger Picasso struggling to break through into the Paris avant-garde art world in the years leading up to World War I. Braque recognizes Picasso's genius, comparing him to El Greco. But, like Picasso, El Greco worked in obscurity for years before finally being recognized. Eventually, Braque and Picasso will be linked forever as the founders of the cubist movement. Gertrude Stein finally comes around to recognizing Picasso's genius, telling him, "Pablo, you're really reinventing painting."
Picasso finds a kindred soul in the struggling artist Henri Rousseau. The older artist has devised a unique "primitive" style. Picasso throws a lavish party for Rousseau, who believes that Picasso is "Egyptian." Apollinaire roasts Rousseau with a satirical poem. The kind old man does not recognize that he is being ridiculed. The sad death of Henri Rousseau occurs at a time when he died alone and still unrecognized in the art world. Apollinaire now feels guilty. After Picasso insults Weigels, the younger artist hangs himself.
Picasso recognizes the genius of Georges Braques, who, in turn, credits Picasso with changing his thinking about the new cubism. Both artists agree that the key to their art is letting go of the classical obsession with perspective. They are now striving "to make the vanishing point disappear." Light, color, and form must be re-evaluated and seen in a new artistic vision.
Picasso now has the financial stability to move out of the Baterau-Lavoir district. But despite the success, Fernande, who feels neglected by Picasso, is now despondent. She takes a lover...another painter. And she never really liked his experimental paintings.
Young Géry Pieret returns to steal more objects from the Louvre. He moves in briefly with Apollinaire. On August 23, 1911, the Mona Lisa is stolen from the Louvre. Because young Pieret has associated with Apollinaire and Picasso, they both become suspects and are interrogated by the French police. To save his skin, Picasso perjures himself, claiming that he does not know Apollinaire. In turn, Apollinaire is humiliated and even disavowed by his wife, then taken away in a paddy wagon. Finally, he is released due to lack of evidence. Two years later, the names of Apollinaire and Picasso are both cleared when Leonardo's masterpiece is recovered in Florence and Vincenzo Perugia confesses to the theft.
Throughout the series, the younger Picasso is filmed with hand-held camera; the older Picasso is captured with a solid camera. In this program, Picasso and Françoise travel to the Midi, disrupting her painting routine in Paris. After Picasso leaves for Marseilles to meet with Kanweiller, Françoise ventures to Tunisia to meet a lover. But she never makes it to Marseilles. Picasso now wants to "make a baby" with her.
Picasso finds a kindred soul in the struggling artist Henri Rousseau. The older artist has devised a unique "primitive" style. Picasso throws a lavish party for Rousseau, who believes that Picasso is "Egyptian." Apollinaire roasts Rousseau with a satirical poem. The kind old man does not recognize that he is being ridiculed. The sad death of Henri Rousseau occurs at a time when he died alone and still unrecognized in the art world. Apollinaire now feels guilty. After Picasso insults Weigels, the younger artist hangs himself.
Picasso recognizes the genius of Georges Braques, who, in turn, credits Picasso with changing his thinking about the new cubism. Both artists agree that the key to their art is letting go of the classical obsession with perspective. They are now striving "to make the vanishing point disappear." Light, color, and form must be re-evaluated and seen in a new artistic vision.
Picasso now has the financial stability to move out of the Baterau-Lavoir district. But despite the success, Fernande, who feels neglected by Picasso, is now despondent. She takes a lover...another painter. And she never really liked his experimental paintings.
Young Géry Pieret returns to steal more objects from the Louvre. He moves in briefly with Apollinaire. On August 23, 1911, the Mona Lisa is stolen from the Louvre. Because young Pieret has associated with Apollinaire and Picasso, they both become suspects and are interrogated by the French police. To save his skin, Picasso perjures himself, claiming that he does not know Apollinaire. In turn, Apollinaire is humiliated and even disavowed by his wife, then taken away in a paddy wagon. Finally, he is released due to lack of evidence. Two years later, the names of Apollinaire and Picasso are both cleared when Leonardo's masterpiece is recovered in Florence and Vincenzo Perugia confesses to the theft.
Throughout the series, the younger Picasso is filmed with hand-held camera; the older Picasso is captured with a solid camera. In this program, Picasso and Françoise travel to the Midi, disrupting her painting routine in Paris. After Picasso leaves for Marseilles to meet with Kanweiller, Françoise ventures to Tunisia to meet a lover. But she never makes it to Marseilles. Picasso now wants to "make a baby" with her.
