Chapter 6 I Anarchists on the hills of Montmartre (1) Blue Life

Like other countries in the world, there are many foreigners in France at present.They brought to their host countries the freshest feelings of their childhood, and enriched the host country's treasure trove of ideas, and introduced species such as chocolate and coffee to their host countries, greatly expanding the range of delicacies in our diet. field. Guillaume Apollinaire Montmartre with melodious reed flute, Montmartre with Garrett windmill spinning and Montmartre dancing everywhere, in the final analysis is still the Montmartre of French nationals.From the above-mentioned names of Montmartre alone, it is not difficult for people to see that it represents a place, an era, and the beauty, elegance and charm of some characters.This place is the Delt Square on the east side of the Sacred Heart Basilica in Montmartre.This era is the era at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, and these characters are Bruen, Toulouse Lautrec, La Goru, Valadon, Utriro, Calco, Roland Douglas. Gerais...

In addition to them, in recent years, some foreigners and some artists have come here, but they are not just artists. France during the Second Empire encouraged immigrants to come to France with the aim of using them for new construction projects.At that time, both the mining and metallurgical industries advertised numerous jobs for foreign volunteer manual laborers.Some farmers also employ foreigners to engage in agricultural production.As a result, many Poles, Romanians, foreign college students, many intellectuals and artists who escaped the persecution of the dictatorship, and many Jews flocked to France.In terms of accepting immigrants, France has long had a good reputation: in 1791, France took the lead in granting citizenship to Jews in France, allowing them to enjoy equal rights with the French.The resulting good image of France is known across borders. At the beginning of the 20th century, France became the embodiment of freedom, equality, tolerance and human rights.Hundreds of painters and writers live there together, because here they can express their feelings freely using their own rich language and ways.And in their own country, they have no such right.Therefore, the modern art born in the two Paris regions of Montmartre and Montparnasse on both sides of the Seine River is actually the crystallization of the mixture of cultures and civilizations of many countries.

As early as 1824, Bordeaux accepted the famous Spanish painter Francisco Goya (1746-1828), who had been suffocated to the point of disappearance in their country. . At the beginning of the 20th century, another Spanish painter came to France, and he was Picasso, who later became a world-famous painter. Picasso was only 19 years old when he arrived in France. At the age of 10, his drawing skills were comparable to those of his drawing teacher. At the age of 14, his father refused him to continue to learn painting. At that time, his actual ability had far exceeded the skills he had learned.Due to his outstanding ability, he was accepted as a member of the Royal Academy of Madrid at the age of 16.By the time he arrived in Paris, he was no longer a child prodigy, but a skilled adult.

He knew nothing about France, and he didn't plan to stay for a long time when he came here for the first time.The reason why he left his hometown was because he felt that his hometown was too poor, his field of vision was too narrow, and the family atmosphere was very depressing. He hoped that he could go out for some fresh air and relieve his depressed mood.If one day he decides to cross the Pyrenees and leave Spain for a long time, it is also to go to England, to follow the British Pre-Raphaelite painters... Picasso came to Paris to participate in the 1900 Universal Exposition.One of his works "The Last Moment" was selected to represent Spain in the Paris exhibition.During this fair, he met many painters who later became his close friends in Montmartre.So he decided to stay.

In a dated painting, he shows himself with friends in front of the World's Fair.The painting shows his status in the gang at the time: he was the boss of them all.He is smaller than the others, but fatter than the others, with very clear lines, and next to it is written: I. Five other Spaniards joined arms: Pigot, Ramon, Casas, Miguel Utrilo, Casa Germas.There was also a woman named Louise Renoir, whose modeling name was Odette, who was Picasso's mistress. These Spaniards already know a lot about France and are very familiar with Montmartre.As early as in Barcelona, ​​in order to commemorate Chat Noir, the "black cat" bar in Paris, a pub in Montmartre, Paris from 1881 to 1898, founded by Rudolph Sallis, some poets and painters often met and held activities here. ——Annotation, they opened a coffee bar and named it "Four Cats".It was through the posters posted everywhere in the "Four Cats" cafe that Picasso discovered European culture, Impressionism and Cézanne, Paul Gauguin (1848-1903), a French painter and a member of the Post-Impressionists. , Rodin Auguste Rodin (1840-1917), French sculptor. ……(image 3)

His friends all lived in Montmartre, so he also came to Montmartre.The Spanish-Catalan painter Isidro Nunair placed himself on Gabrielle Street, halfway up the hillside on the south side of the Sacré-Coeur Basilica in Montmartre.His studio was given to him, and another Spaniard, Maniac, set himself up on Clichy Avenue, located on the hillside on the southwest side of the Sacred Heart Basilica in Montmartre.One bedroom in the apartment suite was given over to him.Montmartre quickly became familiar with Picasso's stocky figure, the long bangs above his piercing black eyes, and the rising pale gray smoke that rose from his short briar pipe.

He was often seen with old friend Marniel Palaris and the Catalan writer Cem Sabaltes, who remained a loyal friend of Picasso until his death.When Picasso lived in Nunair's house, his friend Casa Gemas, whom he had known since the "four cats" era, lived with him. Casa Germas was perhaps the most "political" of the Spanish artists in Montmartre, and he was associated with the ultra-liberal movement. In 1900, a group of Spaniards in Paris signed a petition demanding the release of Spanish anarchists imprisoned in Madrid.Next to Picasso's signature on this petition we find the signature of Casa Gemas.Perhaps because of this, in the following period of time, the French police suspected that Picasso was a member of the anarchist movement.Although he sympathized with the anarchist movement and with some of its defenders—such as Francisco Ferrer (1859–1909), Spanish revolutionary, educator, and publisher, anarchist, anti-religious rights activists. , but he did not participate in the movement.Subsequent facts proved that this suspicion was wrong and unfounded.However, Ferrer's execution in 1909 did arouse his great indignation and revulsion.

Casa Germas not only loves politics, but is also sensitive, vulnerable and sentimental.He fell in love with Germena, a young girl who modeled for painters in Montmartre, but he was only wishful thinking.After his marriage proposal failed, he decided to commit suicide in order to get relief.In order to change his mind, Picasso sent him back to Spain.Then he returned to France.On the evening of his return, he invited several friends to dinner at a restaurant in the Rue de Crissy, and Germena was among the invitees.Casa Germas announced to everyone that he would leave France forever and return to Spain.Germena did not object either.The painter suggested to her many times to marry him, but the girl always shrugged her shoulders and was noncommittal.Casagermas, impatient, drew his pistol from his pocket, fired at Germena, missed, and shot himself in the temple.

The death of his friend greatly shocked Picasso. He painted several paintings to express this tragedy, among which "The Death of Casa Germas" (1901) (Figure 4) and "Casage Mas in the Coffin" (1901) ) is the most famous. The cold eyes and tight lips in "Woman with a Bun" (Fig. 5) vividly reflect Germena's expression after Casa Germas' death. The death of Casa Germas became a turning point in Picasso's creation.Before that, he painted in the style of Toulouse-Lautrec, an artist whom he had discovered in the "Four Cats" tavern.No matter the characters or themes chosen by Picasso are approved by the elder, the colors used are bright colors that are popular with the people. "Garrett Windmill" made in 1900 is an example.After the tragic death of his friend, he gradually abandoned this style, and his works focused on reflecting tragic events and bleak inner world.This style coincided with the poverty and embarrassment and melancholy mood of the group of Spaniards in Montmartre at that time.This is the "blue period" in the history of Picasso's creation.

The works of this period reflect the stage when the painter first arrived in Paris, his spiritual life was very poor, and his mood was both sad and distressed.He visited the prisoners in the women's prison of Saint Lazare many times, so female prisoners often appeared in his works.This fully shows that Picasso was more interested in the misery and pain in the social life at that time. Blue is not only in line with the painter's pessimistic view of the social reality at that time, but also in line with his working conditions at that time - in the dead of night, he was alone in the studio and engaged in creation under a dim kerosene lamp.

Like his friends, he often asks himself the following three questions: How to live? How to paint? How to have a full stomach? The wealthiest of them was the sculptor Paco Durio.Paque Durio was Gauguin's student and friend.He owns a number of drawings, watercolors and 15 oil paintings of exiles in Marquis Island, Polynesia.It was he who introduced Picasso to Gauguin.Parker often keeps friends staying and eating at his home.When others did not come, he went out to meet with them.He often put a piece of bread or a box of canned sardines in front of Picasso's door.What he couldn't let go of was his friends. Before he died, his last words were: "It is a pity that I can no longer be with my friends." The person who benefited most from Parker's generosity was not Picasso but a Catalan, Manoru.This person has black hair and black eyes. Although he is poor, he is very loyal. He has many ways to solve problems, is very optimistic, and is as alert and lively as a child.Only he spoke Catalan with Picasso.Manolu loved sculpture, but was forced to paint because he could not do it due to lack of cement and other necessary materials.People admired his courage, because no one bought his paintings, but he still painted persistently.He can't eat twice in three days, sleeps wherever he can, and steals whatever he sees. One summer, Parker lent his house to Manolu.When Parker came back after going out for a few weeks, the sculptor forced a smile to welcome him back, returned the key to Parker, and left angrily.Parker went around the room, but nothing changed, except that Gauguin's paintings all disappeared.Undoubtedly, Manolu sold them all to Ambroise Vollard (1868-1939), a French art dealer, collector, and French art publisher. . One day, Picasso said to his friend: "You, when you go to the execution ground in the future, no one will be able to execute you." "why?" "Because you are so cute, they will die of joy!" He has become a master of getting something for nothing, eating and drinking, and he has mastered a whole set of professional skills.He practiced his craft every day in the holy place where Mass was celebrated.After coming to Paris, the first thing he visited was the church.He carefully pretended not to know where to sit as he was attending mass. At this time, a woman came from the corner of the dark hall of the church. She handed him a chair, and he gave her a copper coin. After sitting down, she disappeared.So, Manolu imitated that woman, handed chairs to people, and repeated the same trick countless times to earn some pocket money.At the same time, he can obtain more affordable and more nutritious food than the Holy Communion soaked in the bowl of holy water. When he wasn't going to church, he played the lottery and tried his luck.He went door to door knocking on the doors of all the houses in Montmartre, showing them a sketch of a marble bust he planned to sculpt. "One size, 100 centimes!" He traded a numbered cardboard card for a coin.But none of those who bought the card won the lottery, because the bust didn't even exist.When people asked him for his winning number, he replied: "Salmon's number!" After a few years of doing this, he had the money to buy the materials and tools he needed to carve.Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler (1884—1979), born in Germany, is a French art writer and oil painter.I often buy his sculptures.One day, when Carnville came to order, Manolu tried to kill him.When talking about one of the sculptures, Manolu asked the dealer for more money. "Why?" asked the dealer. "Because it's going to be better than the rest." "You always say that." "This time, it's true." "Let's talk about it later..." "Well, I can't do it." Carnville is not only a businessman, but also an esthete and a friend of artists.And Manolu doesn't understand this.He insisted: "This piece of sculpture will be larger than the others, I need more materials than the others, and you can sell for a higher price than the others." "Will it be much larger than the others?" "Yes, very big." Carnville paid him a few more tickets.At this time, under Manolu's disheveled black hair, his black eyes sparkled with joy. In late summer and early autumn, Carnville received the Spaniard's sculpture, which is a squatting woman, not too big or too small, the same size as the works he bought in the past.The art dealer summoned Manolu and said: "You repeatedly emphasize that this one piece is larger than the others." "That's exactly what happened." "But I can't see how..." "You didn't see clearly..." Manolu standing in front of his work. "This is a woman..." "I know." "This woman is squatting..." "I know." "But what if she stood up?" "If she stood up?" Carnville repeated doubtfully. "Yeah, if she stood up, wouldn't she be bigger? And a lot bigger!" The Spaniard Picasso is better than those who hang out in bars all day.He found a reliable way to make a living: painting and selling paintings.By then, he had already shown himself to be both similar and different from the others.Among all the artists who grew up in Montmartre, Picasso was not only the richest, but also the one with the shortest time on hand. Like Marguchi, Gris, Van Dongen, Valno and other painters, Picasso also sent some of his humorous paintings to famous painting shops such as "Cream Plate", "Call of Paris" and "Noisy Hall", He is very proud of this.He despised the "second job", he said: "When I have something to say and thoughts to express, I must express it, and I can't bear any submission." He always waited at home for art dealers to pick up his paintings, And never accepted a proposal to paint for a newspaper. When he first arrived in Paris, Picasso’s fellow countryman Maniac offered him a bedroom in a suite on the Avenue de Crissy, and paid him 150 francs a month on the condition that all the paintings he made be given to him. he.Although the money is not much, at least he doesn't have to suffer from hunger. While Picasso maintained his Toulouse-Lautrec style of painting, Maniac relentlessly supported him.But when he entered the "blue period", the art dealer abandoned him on the grounds that his works could not be sold.Under such circumstances, Picasso was forced to make up his mind to work with small painting shop owners who were similar to fruit and vegetable vendors. Most of these people are second-hand dealers who place their wares on the sidewalk in front of the shop.Streetwalkers might spot paintings by Utrillo, Picasso or Duignier Rousseau amidst old irons, old laundry and battered carts. Like everyone else, Picasso had to deal with Libode and Sagot, and he had to deal more with Sagot who Utriro had already experienced. The initial contact with the former pastry chef was relatively easy.He is warm, tactful and easy to talk to.Besides, he really liked painting very much, or at least the colors in painting.However, when money is involved, things get tricky.He doesn't talk directly about the matter itself, but always goes around in circles and guides you to the topics he is most interested in.Every time he came to see Picasso, he always held a bouquet of flowers.While presenting flowers to the painter very politely, he asked: "Like it?" Picasso nodded. "Can you draw this bouquet?" The Spaniard muttered something under his breath. "is it okay?" "I have no idea……" "Yes, why not? What a beautiful bouquet of flowers!" The art dealer exclaimed in a very appreciative tone. He snatched the bouquet from the painter and waved it in front of Picasso. "I, I give you flowers, and you, you draw them, and then...then?" Picasso did not answer. "...Then, you will give me the painted flower as a gift, count it as a thank you to me!" Sagot smiled happily as if he had found a gold bar. "Look how nice I am! I'll leave you this bouquet!" One day, he offered to buy some oil paintings from Picasso. "How much do you pay?" "700 francs." "Don't talk about it." Picasso left Lafitte Street and returned to Montmartre. That night, with nothing to eat, he suddenly regretted being so stubborn.The next day he went to Sagot's shop. "Changed your mind?" "I have no other choice." "Great!" exclaimed the art dealer.He opened his arms and embraced the great artist standing before him in embarrassment. "I want all your paintings. Five hundred francs..." "700 francs!" "Why seven hundred francs?" "But you yesterday..." "However, that was yesterday!" Picasso left Sagot's shop angrily. After a night of starvation, the next day, he returned to the shop he had left the day before. Sagot said proudly: "Today, I am in a good mood." "What do you mean?" Picasso asked looking into his eyes. "That is to say, a total of three hundred francs." The great pictorial artist stopped arguing with him, he threw in the towel. Picasso also often worked with the former wrestler, Sourier, who had brutally slaughtered Utrillo.Surrier's shop is located opposite the Medrano circus.Papa Surrier was a former alcoholic who turned into a second-hand dealer, specializing in old beds and mattresses.He became a dealer and began as an exchange with painters: he sold them canvases, and when they had no money, they paid him for paints or drawings.He then put the Renoirs, Lautrecs, and Dufys he had acquired for sale directly on the sidewalk. Sulière treats these world-class famous painters no differently from ordinary customers, haggling the price by any means and distrusting them at all.One day, he went to Picasso's studio to place an order and brought a bouquet of flowers, which he would order the next day.Because he has promised customers, but has no stock. "Please draw a picture!" The art dealer begged, "It's just a matter of little effort for you." "I have no white paint." "What do you need white paint for?" "Can't you advance some money and let me buy some white paint?" "Please forget the white paint! That's too tacky!" Picasso drew him a bouquet of flowers.The next day, before the painting was dry, Sourier hurriedly took it away.He paid Picasso 20 francs, which was a special price.Because Surrier has agreed to deliver the goods to the customer the next day, it is a rush job.Usually, no matter who makes the request, he will only pay 3 francs for the paint.Picasso was no more unlucky than anyone else.One day, it was at Papa Sourier that I bought a work by Duignier Rousseau, a portrait of Madame M, for 5 francs.At that time, the painting was thrown casually on the sidewalk, and Picasso studied the painting carefully under the salivating eyes of the art dealer. "Buy this portrait of a woman, she will bring you good luck!" Seeing that Picasso couldn't make up his mind for a while, the art dealer encouraged him to say: "100 centimes for you! How about it? You can take it back and draw something else on it. Because of its large size, if you draw me a bouquet of flowers on it, I will buy it from you for the same price!" Picasso bought that painting, and instead of covering it, he kept the painting. The real art dealer Picasso met was a businesswoman, Berthe Weil, whom the painters who worked with called her "a wonderful woman."She was a short-sighted, short woman who used a magnifying glass as spectacles.Her life is not well-off, and the profit from selling paintings is very low.She eats and lives in the gallery on Victor-Masai Street: a very humble shop with many ropes strewn about and many famous works in clothes clips: Matisse Henri Matisse (1869-1954 ), French painter, representative of Fauvism. , De Lang, Du Fei, Utriro, Van Dongen.Soon, works by Marie Laurentian, Picabia, Mei Jingqi, Glaze and Picasso were added.Because of his passion for art, Berthe Weil made almost as great a contribution as Volald, Paul Guillaume, Rosenberg and Carnville in promoting modern art.She was of great help to Picasso.Through Maniac, she purchased most of Picasso's Lautrec period.After the middleman left, she also bought a few of his gouache paintings, but only a few. If the accounts she showed Francis Calco are true, they record the price she paid for a painting by a famous person: Utrillo, 10 francs; Dufy, 30 francs; Matisse, 60 francs. Francs; Lautrec, 600 francs.The average price of Picasso's works is 30-50 francs.She sold the acquired paintings to wealthy amateurs such as collectors André Le Vere, Marcel Sombart and Olivier Sencel.Raymond Poincare (1860-1934), French politician, lawyer, orator, served as President of the French Republic from 1913 to 1920.After coming to the Elysee Palace, Olivier Shancel served as the Secretary-General of the Presidential Palace.This is how Berthe Weil, a small woman who is energetic and unswervingly loyal to the painter, made Picasso and his partners known to the world outside the narrow range of Montmartre. Berthe Weil was one of those uncompromising, dogmatic, rigid people. One day in 1917, the police chief of the 9th arrondissement in Paris got a taste of her pain.On that day, Berthe Weil held for the first time Amedeo Modigliani (1884-1920), an Italian painter, who arrived in Paris in 1906, at a gallery on Rue Tybut.His works are mainly nude.For the exhibition, she asked Bryce Santeras to write a poem for the invitation, accompanied by a sketch by the Italian artist.She sent this invitation to amateurs. On the night of the opening of the art exhibition, visitors gathered, there were as many people indoors as outdoors, and everywhere was bustling.On one side (indoors) amateurs of art, on the other (outdoors) passers-by surprised by nude portraits in the window.They called a policeman.The police reported the sheriff.Police order the removal of nude paintings from an exhibition.Berthe Weil refused to carry out her order and she was summoned to the police station.On the way to the police station, she was jeered and cursed at by men in boots and women in caps. The chief of police, furious to the extreme, shouted: "I order you to pick off all that trash!" "why?" "Because it's naked!..." The police chief adjusted himself, and answered in a voice hoarse with rage: "These nudes... nudes!" Berthe Weil was forced to close the exhibition.In order to help Modigliani, who was living in extreme poverty, she bought five of his paintings.Just as she supported Picasso in his difficult early days in Paris despite her skepticism about the painter's blue period works, she now relentlessly supported Modigliani and defended him relentlessly.Because Picasso became rich, while Modigliani was still poor.