In 1966 a retrospective of Picasso’s paintings was exhibited in Cannes, France. Hundreds of his works, from the first he did as an adolescent beginner to the latest of the master, who was then eighty-five years old, graced the walls of the gallery.
The old man himself roamed about, enjoying the show more than anyone. One report told of a woman who stopped him and said,
“I don’t understand. Over there, the beginning pictures- so mature, serious and solemn–then the later ones, so different, so irrepressible. It almost seems as though the dates should be reversed. How do you explain it?”
“Easily” replied Picasso, eyes sparkling. “It takes a long time to become young.”
This is an excerpt from a book Alive in Christ by Maxie Dunnam. If you would like to buy this book please click here.