Picasso: Creator and Destroyer

Book overview Description Editorial Reviews Through numerous interviews with Picasso's intimates, the author penetrates the barriers of the Picasso myth to reveal the struggle between his power to create and his passion to destroy Read more From Publishers Weekly When Picasso's eight-year-old sister died of diphtheria, he decided God was evil but took her death as an omen that he should become a painter.

Later, the youthful artist, rebelling against his father, left home for a few weeks and moved into a brothel.

Impulsiveness, rebellion, guilt and sexual energy drove Picasso as he gave form to his inner demons.

He wielded his art as a weapon, exacting vengeance for the wives and mistresses who died, went mad or committed suicide.