While his art might not be universally appreciated, Pablo Picasso is most definitely a household name. In this biography, we will meet him as a fresh face arriving in Paris where his association with the Catalans of Montmarte will earn him a file with the local police. On the heels of the French Revolution, the police had an obsessive distrust of foreigners, always looking at them as potential anarchists. Neither this nor his struggle with the language or poverty or abominable living conditions stood in the way of Picasso’s goal to become the leader of the avant-garde. As if he had Francis Bacon’s words in mind, he made his own opportunities with hard work and dogged determination.

This book includes interesting details about Picasso’s experiments, themes, and growth as an artist and expatriate. But the stories about his relationships are what I enjoyed most. One of my favorites is about his friendship with Braque. As Cohen-Solon cites, “No other modern art style has thus been the simultaneous invention of two artists in dialogue with each other.” More special, however, is what the author calls the constant in his life, the “epistolary pact” with his mother. She regularly scolds him for not writing her often enough or expresses fear for his safety. It lends a sweet, down-to-earth aspect to the man who took over the Paris avant-garde and still rules our minds when we think of cubism.

The amount of research that went into this book is staggering, and the result is a comprehensive and compelling read.