An article in The Guardian examines centuries of sexual secrets hinted at in artists’ masterpieces. It’s a fun read, with a little centuries-old gossip of who stepped out with whom, including artists represented in The Hyde’s permanent collection (Van Dyck, Rubens, da Vinci, Raphael).
It ends, though, with a quick look at Picasso who, it reads, “coded every detail of his love life in his art, using it to celebrate and punish the women in his life.” That’s evident in The Hyde’s current special exhibition Picasso, Braque & Léger, where Marie-Thérèse Walter, Picasso’s longtime lover and, ultimately, mother of his child, is frequently depicted.
You don’t want to miss the exhibition, which is stunning, even without the juicy back story.