Robert Doisneau: “Picasso and the Loaves”

Photographer Robert Doisneau on the iconic 1952 photo:

“When I arrived at Villauris [Picasso’s home on the French Riviera from 1949 to 1955], Picasso was having lunch with his wife and we talked, but we didn’t shoot any pictures. I came back the next day having realized by then that Picasso had a great sense of the ridiculous. I went to a baker I knew, who made the bread rolls that are on the table. The baker used to call them Picasso’s hands. When people pointed out that they had only four fingers he’d say, ‘Of course, that’s why they’re called Picasso’s hands.’ So I bought the rolls and put them in front of Picasso and took the photograph. You know he loved to make jokes—we spent two days joking all the time. Picasso was the best model I ever had. Everyone coming close to him received some gold dust.” More…