In Picasso's Eye.

Time and time again, Picasso tried to ignore his requests. The painter found excuses like he was not home, couldn't make time, was far too busy anyway and the like. But Irving Penn wasn't that easily brushed off, he kept trying and pestering Pablo Picasso. He asked continously, left messages, begged to meet him, wrote letters until the famous and difficult artist finally agreed. ​In 1957, Picasso finally deigned to grant American portrait photographer Irving Penn an audience. "Ten minutes, no more!" the great painter demanded.

Irving wrote later in his diary that Picasso had shown up at the photographer's much-longed-for shooting in a grey and sloppy T-shirt, looking like a basket ball coach from high school. But then Picasso opend his mysterious bag and, to Penn's utterly surprise and probably relief, reached for a dark hat and cloak.

Now we know the painter was used to people that run after him to get his attention and he started fooling around as though the shoot was a children's dressing game. Hat on, hat off, playing with the cloak, Picasso posed and danced and hid his face behind his collar just to make cleear who was the boss in the arena. Irving Penn, however, had already brought himself and his camera in shooting position. And so, whilst Picasso was still playing his game, the photographer took one of the most breathtaking and impressive masterpieces in portrait photography the world has ever seen of the legendary Spanish painter and sculptor. A photograph that hardly finds its equal when it comes to show us a fascinating man with an extraordinary personality, willpower, unbelievable talent and, yes, quirkiness.

A first wish Penn remembered in his life was his desire to become a painter as well. I don't know, but maybe it was that. Maybe just this made him feel so close to Picasso to capture the intimacy, the simplicity, the absolute clarity of that moment?

What do we see in the artist's penetrating eye? What is reflected in it?
It is the photographer himself. Thank you Irving Penn.

How do you capture a moment?

References: 
https://goo.gl/images/iaADmz
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irving_Penn


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