Pablo Picasso and Kasbec
By Luiz Aoiki, Stenara Afghans (USA and Brazil)
Other Fanciers might be fascinated to know that Pablo, Ruyz, Diego, Jose, Francisco de Paula, Juan Nepomuceno, Maria de los Remedios, and Cipriano de la Santisima Trinidad , also know as Pablo Picasso ( It was a Spanish tradition to give a child multiple names ) shared life with not only one but at least two Afghans!
The photo above is of Pablo Picasso and Kasbec, and the picture that is shown elow is either of Kasbec a little older or another Afghan.
I first saw the picture of the Chicago’s iron sculpture when I was a teenager, reading "The Complete Afghan Hound Book" by Joan Mc Donald Brearley. Even then, I had NO doubts that the sculpture was a homage to his all time friend, companion and inspiration, the Afghan Hound.
At that time I was living in Sao Paulo-Brazil and had no idea that one day I would be living so close to the real one!
Mrs.. Brearley mentioned some of the art work featuring the Afghan Kabul as well as raising the possibility of another one . Now we have the proof that Picasso, in fact, owned a black masked red Afghan named Kazbec.
The artist’s way of life and style ( Post-Cubist life ) is suggested to be determined by five factors:
- 1- The woman whom he was in love with at that time ( It’s said that his ways changed when he had different companions )
- 2- The poets who served as a catalyst ( Picasso used to say that he was going to be known as the Poet who dabbled in painting, drawing and sculpture!)
- 3- The place where he lived ( He loved his houses )
- 4- His close friends and- I quote Art critic, John Richardson’s :
- 5-" The dog who was his inseparable companion and sometimes figured in the iconography of his work…" ( Attached is a picture of -what I believe is - Kabul and a VERY impressive circle of "friends" )
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Picasso Standing In The Centre With An Older Kasbec Or Possibly Another Afghan
I’m not trying by all means, to portrait myself as a Picasso or an Arts connoisseur. I’m just intrigued by a genius who happened to have one thing in common with me! The privilege of the Afghan Hound companionship.
Now, don’t you think that Picasso created the 40+ ton. sculpture in homage or at least having in mind :
- A. His women ( OK, for those of you who believe it is a woman, I see the "hair like" waves, the softness and the curves )
- B. His friends ( represented by the figure of the dog, evoking loyalty companionship ) and,
- C. His beloved Afghan Hounds ( I see the top knot, the years, the prominent occiput , the long skull, the so unique Afghan way of "camel like" lying down, with it’s front legs bent under the body, the slightly slanted eyes, gazing into the distance as if in memory of ages past… now, is the sculpture facing … EAST!? )
The intense, volatile, brilliant artist, revolutionary painter, writer, sculptor, collector, poet, illustrator, the Master of the new idea, father, lover, friend was also, like us common mortals, an Afghan Hound lover and admirer…
Luiz F. K. Aoki LFKA (beaulevrier@yahoo.com)
Batina Picasso And Afghan Hounds
By Steve Tillotson
My thanks to Luiz Aoki for the fascinating note and super photographs above. I originally posted the following photo several years ago, and at that time was totally unaware that Pablo Picasso had any involvement with Afghans. It seems fitting then to combine my original note regarding his Grandaughter Betina and Afghans with the new one from Luiz
I was fortunate to spend some time with Eileen Snelling (Khorrassan Afghans UK) before she passed on and able to view her extensive photograph collection. Eileen was especially proud of her imports overseas and in particular one to Italy - to Picasso's Grandaughter Betina. Shown below is Betina with Cerveto Of Khorrassan in the mid 1950's. Cerveto eventually become an Italian Champion.
Steve Tillotson 1996
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By Steve Tillotson
We don't know much about the photo below but apparently it appeared in a magazine article entitled "Duncans Picasso" published in 1963.
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Comment from The Chicago Tribune
Picasso's untitled sculpture proclaimed metamorphosis the chief business of an artist by crossing images of an Afghan dog and a woman. However, the effort at first did not count for much, in part because Chicago's earlier monuments--statues of past leaders--commemorated a different idea: civic achievement. Col. Jack Reilly, the mayor's director of special events, immediately urged removal of the sculpture. Ald. John J. Hoellen went further, recommending that the City Council "deport" the piece and construct in its place a statue of "Mr. Cub
Ernie Banks. Chicago Tribune (full article here)
Comment from Wikipedia
The sculpture was initially met with controversy.[7]Before the Picasso sculpture, public sculptural artwork in Chicago was mainly of historical figures.[8] One derisive Chicago City Council alderman immediately proposed replacing it with a statue of Ernie Banks, and Chicago publicist Algis Budrys erected a giant pickle on the proposed site. There was speculation on the subject, which ranged from a bird, or aardvark to Picasso's pet Afghan Hound, or a baboon head
Although Picasso never explained what the sculpture was intended to represent, it may have been inspired by a French woman, Sylvette David, now known as Lydia Corbett, who posed for Picasso in 1954. Then 19 years old and living in Vallauris, France, Corbett would accompany her artist boyfriend as he delivered chairs made of metal, wood and rope. One of those deliveries was to Picasso, who was struck by her high ponytail and long neck. "He made many portraits of her. At the time, most people thought he was drawing the actress Brigitte Bardot. But in fact, he was inspired by [Corbett]," Picasso's grandson Olivier Widmaier Picasso told the Chicago Sun-Times in 2004.
"I think the Chicago sculpture was inspired by her," said the grandson, author of Picasso, the Real Family Story. Picasso made 40 works inspired by her, said the grandson, including The Girl Who Said No, reflecting their platonic relationship. The quality of the Picasso's sculpture inspired other artist such as Alexander Calder, Marc Chagall, Joan Miró, Claes Oldenburg and Henry Moore. Acceptance from these artist influenced the acceptance from Chicagoans. As many other sculptures and architecture in Chicago, the Picasso became a symbol of the city.
Snippets/References
4.1 Extract from "The difficulty of being a dog", Page 113
by Roger Grenier, Alice Yaeger Kaplan - 2000
"True misanthropes don't seek the company of dogs. A love of animals can also be the manifestation of an insatiable love of life. I dont think Picasso hated people. He had many friends. He adored women. But according to Brassai, whose "Conversations with Picasso" are an authoratative source of information, animals were as indispensable at his side as a feminine presence. At the Bateau-Lavoir, he had three Siamise casts, a dog, a female monkey, and a tortoise; a tame white mouse lived in a table drawer. He liked Frede's donkeys, which grabbed a packet of his tobacco one day; love the tame crow at the Lapin Agile and painted it - in "Woman With Crow" - with Frede's daughter, who had become Macorlan's wife. In vallauris, he had a shet goat; In Cannes a monkey. As for dogs....
Picasso braged about having reflexes as quick as a dog. He owned two large hounds as well as a Fox Terrier, a Dachschund, a Dalmation, a Boxer. They wre named Elft, Frika, Loump, Yane.
Kazbek, his Afghan Hound, a little known breed at the time, intrigued people. At the beginning of the occupation Picasso and Kazbek were accosted by a Geman officer. After this incident he ordered his chauffer, Marcel, to respond to anyone who was curious: "It's a Basset Hound from the Charentes region."
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