Picasso At Play

He also had a pet goat called Esmeralda, who used to live outside his bedroom door in a packing case filled with straw because he believed she was afraid of the dark.

For us to fully understand his work, we need to see the man behind the genius, thinks Antony Penrose.

He is the son of photographer Lee Miller and painter and poet Roland Penrose, and spent many a summer at the Spanish painter’s houses in France when he was younger.

“There is a lack of perception about Picasso’s work, where people think of him as inaccessible, difficult to understand and not a very nice person.

“But having known him personally and being very fond of him, I recognise a lot of people are missing out on this view.

“I want to bring the playful and fun side to everyone’s attention. If we can do that it will make his work more accessible.”

So Penrose has helped Ian Chance root through the Farley Farm House archives of his mother’s photos for Picasso At Play.

The show includes pictures of the times Picasso visited Sussex, when Penrose remembers a gentle, funny man coming to stay.

“Here is a guy who came to Farley Farm House and scratched the ears on a dairy bull; he was not so intellectual he couldn’t enjoy playing with a dog or a child.”

That warmth towards children is something that sticks in Penrose’s mind.

“I made him a monster out of driftwood when we were in France. I was about seven and I made him this lovely monster and he took it and put it among his own artworks and I remember at the time that gave me such a thrill.”

Penrose’s mother met Picasso in France on a beach when they were both young artists. She was a beautiful fashion model and burgeoning photographer.

He was so captivated by her he painted her six times.

Penrose says the 28 images from the Lee Miller archives date from those early meetings, in 1936, to 1965.

The idea was to show different sides of Picasso on a day-to-day basis, but most of all his sense of fun.

Another key idea was to present pictures never seen before. There are intimate pictures of Picasso in his study, of the things he made, the animals he loved, including Esmeralda.

“There is a lovely shot from 1957,” explains Penrose.

“It was taken in his house in Cannes. He used to have a big sideboard with a mirror above it, and the sideboard was covered with fake moustaches and funny noses.

“Although he comes across as gregarious, he was quite shy. When visitors arrived they had to put one on.

“It meant he could break the ice and put people at ease. It’s very difficult to be serious with a fake nose on.”

Picasso would hate the idea that one has to be intellectual to understand his work.

What he didn’t like was sitting around having very serious discussions.

“If we can get over the fear of being made to look silly, we can engage with his paintings and it becomes much more important, something very moving and funny we can get into it.

“But sitting on the fence, it’s like sitting in the back of class at school afraid to ask a question because you don’t want to look silly. If you can get the idea that the master liked being silly, then you can begin to have an entry point to his work.”

Picasso At Play is at Farley’s Barn Gallery, Farley Farm House, Muddles Green, Chiddingly, East Sussex, Sunday, June 3, 17 and July 1, 15 and 22; Saturday, July 14 and 21, 11am to 4.30pm, free. For more information visit www.farleysyardtrust.org.uk