In this eighth episode of the Picasso series, the viewer begins to lose track of the revolving door of women in Picasso's life. Even the extended family members appear to be confused or surprised about all of their relatives.
The new character introduced in this program is the dancer Olga Khokhlova, who became the first Madame Picasso and delivers a baby boy named Paulo. Olga was another woman who sacrificed her personal career and identity on the altar of the great Picasso.
The artistic genius of Picasso is chronicled in this episode by Picasso's ongoing exploration of experimental techniques in art. In 1917, he collaborated with Jean Cocteau, Eric Satie, and Sergei Diaghilev in the live performance of "Parade," which combined Picasso's cubism with ballet and theater. Picasso's costumes were used to denote "men in boxes," and the audience lustily booed his creations. Nonetheless, "Parade" may in hindsight be seen as the precursor of a new movement, surrealism, following Picasso's insatiable experimentation with abstraction, cubism, and collage.
In his personal life, Picasso was clearly an absent father to his wayward son Paulo. The program presents the wedding in Paris of Olga and Picasso. Olga is portrayed as possessive, who will continue to reappear in embarrassing moments right through Picasso's relationship with Françoise, long after Picasso has discarded her.
In two of the sadder moments of the episode, Picasso has a falling out with Max Jacob, who believes Picasso has sold out his old friends from the halcyon harlequin days of "Au Lapin Agile." And Apollinaire dies, having somehow survived the Great War, yet succumbed to the flu.
The new character introduced in this program is the dancer Olga Khokhlova, who became the first Madame Picasso and delivers a baby boy named Paulo. Olga was another woman who sacrificed her personal career and identity on the altar of the great Picasso.
The artistic genius of Picasso is chronicled in this episode by Picasso's ongoing exploration of experimental techniques in art. In 1917, he collaborated with Jean Cocteau, Eric Satie, and Sergei Diaghilev in the live performance of "Parade," which combined Picasso's cubism with ballet and theater. Picasso's costumes were used to denote "men in boxes," and the audience lustily booed his creations. Nonetheless, "Parade" may in hindsight be seen as the precursor of a new movement, surrealism, following Picasso's insatiable experimentation with abstraction, cubism, and collage.
In his personal life, Picasso was clearly an absent father to his wayward son Paulo. The program presents the wedding in Paris of Olga and Picasso. Olga is portrayed as possessive, who will continue to reappear in embarrassing moments right through Picasso's relationship with Françoise, long after Picasso has discarded her.
In two of the sadder moments of the episode, Picasso has a falling out with Max Jacob, who believes Picasso has sold out his old friends from the halcyon harlequin days of "Au Lapin Agile." And Apollinaire dies, having somehow survived the Great War, yet succumbed to the flu.
