DORA MAAR:
‘Beautiful, with a strong straight jaw, a trifle heavy and the more forceful
for being so, perfect scarlet lips, firm chin, rich chestnut hair drawn smoothly
back and eye lashes like the furred antennae of a moth.
Long pale hands,dark painted nails and a gold
cigarette holder between her teeth.’
Thus wrote the writer James Lord, in admiration
of Picasso’s one time lover… photographer and painter Dora Maar.
Picasso failed to capture any of that in his mocking portrait
of Maar, entitled Weeping Woman….
which he painted as their relationship was nearing its end,
stamping this image of her for the world to see, forever.
During her years with Picasso, Maar had to deal with several of
his ex’s who were still part of his life…and finally his seduction
(what we now would probably call grooming) of a much
younger lover…who became his new conquest.
Maar had much to weep about.
Dora Maar’s work is at Tate Modern…20 Nov-March 15th
KB. 19TH Nov.