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Lot Essay
Picasso met Germaine, née Laure Gargallo, in the fall of 1900, during his first trip to Paris with his close friend Casagemas. Germaine (who was possibly of partly Spanish background), her half-sister Antoinette Fornerod, and another girl, Louise Lenoir (known as Odette), comprised a lively trio who liked to mix with the young Spanish artists who were flocking to Paris, for whom they would model. Carlos Casagemas quickly fell in love with Germaine. She was married to an obscure character named Florentin, who appears to have tolerated her affairs. Picasso formed a liaison with Odette, the only girl of the three who did not speak Spanish–Picasso knew very little French. Manuel Pallarès, another Catalan painter who shared a studio with Picasso and Casagemas, was also attracted to Odette, but settled for Antoinette. Casagemas desperately wanted Germaine to leave her husband so that he could marry her. As much as she was touched by the attention of this sensitive young man, Germaine would not give up the security of her marriage. Driven mad by frustration, Casagemas tried to shoot Germaine in a Paris café on the night of 17 February 1901, at a dinner where Pallarès, Odette and other friends gathered to mark his imminent return to Barcelona. His shot missed, but he believed he had killed Germaine when she dived to the floor behind Pallarès. Suddenly regretting his foolishness, Casagemas turned the gun on himself and fired. He was rushed by police to a hospital, but died a few hours later.
Picasso was in Madrid when these terrible events transpired and was deeply affected by his friend's suicide. Although he did not hurry back to Paris or even attend Casagemas' memorial service in Barcelona, Picasso provided a drawing of him for an obituary in a Barcelona art journal. When Picasso finally returned to Paris in May 1901, he was looking forward to an exhibition of his work that his friend and agent Père Mañach had arranged at Ambroise Vollard's gallery in late June. The artist and promoter stayed in the apartment where Casagemas had spent his last days. Odette would have liked to resume her relationship with Picasso, but, to the consternation of his friends, the artist instead took up with Germaine, who since the death of Casagemas had been having an affair with the Catalan sculptor Manolo (Manuel Martínez Hugué). Picasso seemed irresistibly drawn to the femme fatale who had been the object of Casegemas' obsession, as if he were compelled to carry on the affair beyond the point where his suicidal companion had left it. Young Picasso liked to show off his amorous conquests, and took perverse pleasure in the jealousies he sowed amongst those around him.
Picasso's affair with Germaine lasted only a short time, however, and probably ended in the fall of 1901. She subsequently went to live with Ramon Pichot, another painter in Picasso's circle of ex-patriate Catalans, whom she married in 1906 or 1907. Picasso could not put Germaine out of his mind, however, especially as her presence was a powerful reminder of the departed Casagemas, whom he now mourned and eulogized openly in his paintings. Even if tragic memories of the triangular relationship between Picasso, Germaine, and Casagemas were largely exorcised in La Vie, Germaine continued to be a presence in Picasso's life.
Picasso was in Madrid when these terrible events transpired and was deeply affected by his friend's suicide. Although he did not hurry back to Paris or even attend Casagemas' memorial service in Barcelona, Picasso provided a drawing of him for an obituary in a Barcelona art journal. When Picasso finally returned to Paris in May 1901, he was looking forward to an exhibition of his work that his friend and agent Père Mañach had arranged at Ambroise Vollard's gallery in late June. The artist and promoter stayed in the apartment where Casagemas had spent his last days. Odette would have liked to resume her relationship with Picasso, but, to the consternation of his friends, the artist instead took up with Germaine, who since the death of Casagemas had been having an affair with the Catalan sculptor Manolo (Manuel Martínez Hugué). Picasso seemed irresistibly drawn to the femme fatale who had been the object of Casegemas' obsession, as if he were compelled to carry on the affair beyond the point where his suicidal companion had left it. Young Picasso liked to show off his amorous conquests, and took perverse pleasure in the jealousies he sowed amongst those around him.
Picasso's affair with Germaine lasted only a short time, however, and probably ended in the fall of 1901. She subsequently went to live with Ramon Pichot, another painter in Picasso's circle of ex-patriate Catalans, whom she married in 1906 or 1907. Picasso could not put Germaine out of his mind, however, especially as her presence was a powerful reminder of the departed Casagemas, whom he now mourned and eulogized openly in his paintings. Even if tragic memories of the triangular relationship between Picasso, Germaine, and Casagemas were largely exorcised in La Vie, Germaine continued to be a presence in Picasso's life.