The unusual union of a renowned artist and the discoverer of the Polio vaccine. The next evening, Gilot accompanied the Hunts to a black-tie dinner at the Institute. Seated with other artists, she enjoyed herself.
Once there, this woman who had silently looked at her salad two days before began talking with great animation and sophistication, a mixture of self-confidence and femininity. Salk knew almost nothing about art, and Gilot could not converse about science, but they had one common interest, modern architecture. That was a start. Every week she learned of comrades who had died participating in the Resistance and Jewish friends who had been deported.
She felt an urgency to contribute in some way. Around the same time, she met Pablo Picasso. They had just ordered when Cuny pointed out Pablo Picasso. Throughout dinner, Gilot noticed Picasso was staring at their table.
Afterward, he brought over a bowl of cherries and asked Cuny to introduce his friends. Cuny told him they were artists. Picasso laughed. You must come to my studio and see some of my paintings. But despite their age difference of 40 years, a relationship blossomed, first intellectual, later sexual. Those were intoxicating times for Gilot. Picasso introduced her to Alice B.
Toklas, Gertrude Stein, and Henri Matisse. A recent movement called New Realities, in which artists created pure abstract paintings, influenced her, and by she was gaining notice for her art. In May of , Gilot agreed to move in with Picasso. She learned a lot from him, adopting his work habits. At the same time, she found how difficult he could be. Yet he had terrible mood swings. In October of , Gilot traveled to Los Angeles to complete some lithographs.
