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Early 1900s: The untold story of Eva Gouel, the unforgettable woman who stole Picasso’s heart
Madame Picasso
What you need to know before your trail
Eva Gouel moves to Paris, she is full of ambition and dreams of stardom. Until now she has lived in the countryside where women were expected to be farmer’s wives and stay at home and raise children. Eva however has dreams of moving to the big city and of working for a living doing something she loves.
She manages to find work as a costumer at the famous Moulin Rouge, and it is here that she first catches the attention of Pablo Picasso, a rising star in the art world.
Picasso sets his sights on Eva, and Eva to him. But Picasso, already renowned for his flamboyant behaviour and eccentric style has secrets that no one knows and what Picasso reveals more about his subjects on the canvas as he does about himself.
The two start an affair and Eva becomes the first great love of Picasso’s life.
They say behind every great man is a great woman. Step forward Mrs Picasso…
Travel Guide
Picasso in Paris (The greatest art museum in the city?)
It is the time of the Belle Époque era in Paris where the flair of creativity shines across Paris for all to see. This was the time when the city literally came to life with the number of creatives, artists and their muses came to the city to live, breathe and emerge themselves in the city of life
The Moulin Rouge has always been renowned as being the busy, bustling and busty side of Paris with its raucous cancan dancers and musicians. This is where Eva Gouel meets the man who would become legendary
But Picasso has loved before, and Eva feels as if she has to step out from behind the shadows. The Montmartre region of the city is still renowned for the arty crowd today and there are many painters sitting around the squares there – even back in Picasso’s day, this was the place to capture the city on canvas.
In arty terms, this was the time when Picasso’s analytic cubism era began to form.
During their time together, the streets and art galleries of Paris come to life as if jumping from behind their frames – Henri Matisse and other legends of their time merge with the crowd
But this is the story of Picasso, how he came to paint certain paintings, why he used a muse and why Paris was as much a part of him as he was of it.
Streetview Maps
B) Paris - Moulin Rouge
D) Paris - Montmartre - Place du Tertre
Booktrail Boarding Pass Information: Madame Picasso
Author/ Guide: Anne Girard Destination: Paris Departure Time: Early 1900s
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