At the age of 22, Pablo Picasso’s granddaughter inherited his stately villa in Cannes. Now, 40 years later, Marina Picasso is selling the house due to “painful childhood memories”. Some of her most painful memories include being taken to the gates of the grand three-story home to beg for money from an indifferent Pablo.
Including 126 pieces of his ceramics, Marina has reportedly received an offer of nearly $110 million.
It’s not a house where I have a lot of good memories. I saw very little of my grandfather there … With hindsight, I understand that he may have been captivated by painting and nothing else was more important to him. Except when you’re a child, you don’t experience it like that.
The 1920 villa was originally bought by Pablo in 1955 and he created some of his most famous works there. He moved out six years later after his view of the sea was blocked by a new building.
The sale will help me broaden my philanthropic projects. I fund a children’s hospital in Vietnam and programmes to help troubled teenagers and the elderly in Switzerland, where I spends much of my time.
Picasso’s second wife, Jacqueline Roque, barred Marina Picasso and her brother Pablito from the artist’s funeral. Pablito Picasso committed suicide a few days later.
Marina Picasso’s father was Picasso’s son by his first wife, Olga Khokhlova, a Russian-Ukrainian ballerina. He was humiliated by being forced to work as the artist’s chauffeur.
Marina, who sells off Pablo’s work often to support her and her charities, renovated the villa in 1987 and renamed it the “Pavillon de Flore”, although it is better known as “La Californie”.
[source: telegraph]
