Today is the birthday of Pablo Picasso, an artist whose importance may not have been known to me at a young age. His art, however, was strangely important to my upbringing.
My parents owned very few paintings, but this one was in their bedroom when I grew up.
Its title is “The Lovers”. Having been raised Catholic, I always assumed it was a picture of Mary and Joseph. Also, I always assumed that theirs was the actual painting. I learned years later that it was most certainly a reproduction.
Next is a painting that was in my grandfather’s house.
Actual Title: Don Quijote. That makes sense, but so did the title I gave this drawing as a child: Skeleton Horses.
Finally, a bonus memory. After having learned of his painting Guernica, I don’t think I have ever listened to the Van Halen song “Panama” without changing the lyrics to “Guernica”. I almost called Weird Al once to share my amazingly intelligent idea, but I had lost his number by then.
GUERNICA-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH! GUERNICA!
