Picasso. Foreigner. Life in France 1900-1973

Before Picasso became a cult artist and one of the key figures in 20th-century art, he was a "suspicious foreigner" to the French police. He was suspected of connections with anarchist terrorists, accused of political and artistic radicalism and undermining the foundations of French society. The avant-garde styles he worked in were met with disapproval from critics, colleagues in the art world, and conservative audiences. The artist applied for French citizenship, but it was denied, and he never became a citizen of France, although it was largely thanks to him that France maintained its status as a cultural leader in the 20th century. Annie Cohen-Solal, based on a vast amount of forgotten and introduced by her archival sources, shows how, thanks to talent, character, and self-belief, Picasso moved forward to recognition, wealth, and influence in the art world, and who helped and hindered him on this path.