#art, Remember Dora Maar?

You might remember her as one of Picasso’s women. Or you might seem to recall that she was a little off, or perhaps totally crazy. Perhaps you know something about her history as a stubborn, difficult woman that ended up in various psychiatric facilities. But I will remind you that she was a genuine artist and a brilliant, intelligent woman.

She started off studying art (painting) and later changed to photography. She even had her own photo studio in Paris. She is recognised as a surreal photographer. Her photographs are ethereal, mysterious, engaging, well, simply brilliant.

(Portrait of Dora Maar/Pablo Picasso/Fair use)

She was born in Paris in 1907 and lived a very long life. She died in 1997. She is responsible for the photographic documentation we have of Picasso creating Guernica. But her work, both in photography and in painting, is phenomenal.

Although Picasso discarded her saying she was absolutely crazy and put her in a mental ward. Her friend Paul Éluard helped her cope and took her out of the institution. Picasso bought her the house where she lived until her dying day and he also gave her many paintings which he allowed her to sell if she needed money. When she died she had 130 Picasso paintings and a large collection of her photographs.