Artist Françoise Gilot, acclaimed painter who loved and later left Picasso, is dead at 101

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Renowned painter Françoise Gilot, known for her passionate relationship with Pablo Picasso before ultimately parting ways, has passed away at the age of 101.

Françoise Gilot, a highly productive and acclaimed artist whose career spanned over half a century, gained more fame for her tumultuous romance with Pablo Picasso than for her own artistic achievements. She died on Tuesday in New York City, where she had resided for many years. Gilot’s daughter, Aurelia Engel, confirmed her mother’s passing at Mount Sinai West hospital due to complications related to her heart and lungs. Engel expressed their commitment to preserving Gilot’s remarkable artistic legacy, including her extraordinary paintings and other works.

Originally from France, Gilot often expressed her frustration that her artistic accomplishments, which she had been pursuing since her teenage years until just five years ago, were overshadowed by her connection to the older and more renowned Picasso. She met Picasso in 1943 at the age of 21, a woman several decades his junior. They had two children together, Claude and Paloma Picasso. However, unlike Picasso’s previous wives and partners, Gilot eventually chose to leave the relationship.

Engel revealed that her mother’s departure came as a surprise to Picasso. Gilot’s decision was driven by her independent spirit, even though she deeply loved Picasso and shared a profound artistic passion with him. Gilot emphasized that she was never a captive in the relationship, stating in a 2016 interview with The Guardian when she was 94, “I’d been there of my own will, and I left of my own will.” She recalled warning Picasso before leaving, asserting her autonomy and stating that she would depart when she desired. In response, Picasso arrogantly claimed, “Nobody leaves a man like me.” Gilot’s departure proved him wrong.

Gilot was also an accomplished author, with her most famous work being “Life with Picasso,” published in 1964 with Carlton Lake. Picasso unsuccessfully attempted to prevent its publication, leading to three legal defeats. Engel, who now manages her mother’s archives and is an architect by profession, noted that despite Picasso’s resistance, he ultimately congratulated Gilot on her courage. He admired her strength and tenacity, recognizing the parallels between them.

Born on November 26, 1921, in the picturesque suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine, near Paris, Gilot grew up as an only child. Her passion for painting blossomed at the age of five, though her parents encouraged her to pursue a legal education. Despite their wishes, art remained her true calling, and she held her first art exhibition in 1943.

During a chance encounter at a Left Bank restaurant in the same year, Gilot and a friend met Picasso, who was accompanied by his then-partner, Dora Maar. At 21 years old, Gilot felt that painting already defined her life. When Picasso inquired about their professions, Gilot’s friend responded that they were painters. Picasso amusingly dismissed the idea, claiming that “girls who look like that can’t be painters.” Intrigued, Picasso invited Gilot and her friend to his studio, which marked the beginning of their relationship.

After leaving Picasso in 1953, Gilot reunited with artist Luc Simon, a former friend, and married him in 1955. They had a daughter named Engel but divorced in 1962. In 1970, Gilot married Jonas Salk, the American virologist renowned for his work on the polio vaccine. They divided their time between California and Paris before settling in New York. Following Salk’s passing in 1995, Gilot permanently moved to New York and spent her final years on the Upper West Side.

Gilot’s art gained significant value over the years, with her painting “Paloma à la Guitare” (1965) selling for $1.3 million at a Sotheby’s auction in 2021. Her works have been showcased in prestigious museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art. The 1996 film “Surviving Picasso,” directed by James Ivory, depicted her life with Picasso.

Engel highlighted that despite the challenging nature of her mother’s relationship with Picasso, it provided her with a freedom that transcended her upbringing and bourgeois lifestyle. This freedom allowed Gilot to pursue her true passion as a professional artist, a shared belief she held with Picasso above all else.

“They both believed that art was the only thing in life worth doing,” Engel reflected. “She was able to be her true self, even though it was not an easy life with him. But still, she was able to be her true self.”

For Engel, her mother’s most significant legacy lies not only in her artistic creations but also in her courage, which is vividly expressed in her ever-evolving and daring artwork. Gilot faced her fears head-on, taking risks without hesitation.

“She was not without fear. But she would always confront her fears and jump in the void and take risks, no matter what,” Engel shared.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about artist Françoise Gilot

More about artist Françoise Gilot

• Françoise Gilot – Wikipedia
• Françoise Gilot, Artist and Muse of Picasso, Dies at 101 – The New York Times
• Françoise Gilot: Biography, Artworks & Exhibitions – Artsy
• Life with Picasso by Françoise Gilot – Goodreads
• Surviving Picasso (1996) – IMDb