"Picasso was everything": Sylvette David - A Studio Visit | Christie's

Lydia Corbett, then known as Sylvette David, was just 19 years old when she met Picasso in the spring of 1954. The artist was so enchanted by her beauty - and her now famous high ponytail - that he went on to make some 60 portraits of her.
From her studio in Devon, Lydia (now 89) talks about what it was like to work with Picasso, what he meant to her and how he helped shape her as an artist.
Picasso gave Corbett a 1954 copy of the Parisian art magazine Verve - a special double issue which reproduced 180 of Picasso’s drawings executed in Vallauris in 1953 and early 1954. The magazine, together with a selection of photographs by Andre Villers and Edward Quinn, will be offered in the Picasso Ceramics online sale until 1 July 2024. The sale also includes a ceramic bowl by Picasso that depicts Sylvette, and two paintings by Corbett. It is the first time her work has been offered at auction.
Find out more: www.christies.com/stories/syl...
20th and 21st Century Art summer sales at Christie’s in London are now on view until 26 June 2024. The season opens with Marc Chagall - a Dialogue of Self and Soul (bidding online until 26 June), followed by Picasso Ceramics and the Post-War to Present Online Sale (until 1 July). The Post-War to Present live auction takes place on 27 June.

[@jameswrate4838]

That was beautiful

[@rickyzayshley9686]

So beautiful in all ways.

[@poetryinus1110]

This was beautiful

[@bn8418]

I want to hug this old lady with all my heart. she is adorable.

[@bethhester6286]

She is an older adult, not an old lady...

[@bn8418]

@@bethhester6286 wow lol

[@classicalaid1]

@@bethhester6286 Thank you so much for that wise correction, bethhester. The 'old lady' appelation is so dismissive, disguarding, demeaning and disrespectful.

[@juliemarkfield7609]

She is a lovely woman whose age does not matter.

[@classicalaid1]

@@juliemarkfield7609 So true. Beauty at every age.

[@KQOAmericanLady]

Stories behind the work. Life 🧬 is spectacular 💖

[@star_wars_miniatures]

She’s right! Art is extraordinary! Just very hard to make a living from 😅

[@THESHOMROM]

I like her paintings even more than I like Picasso's. Paris has so many museums I was unable to visit more than a few in the time I lived there. Yet the city itself had so much art and beauty, it was, in itself, like an open air museum and gallery.

[@ChessTurner]

Amazing, thank you so much for great video

[@asthouart]

A very lovely film. Thank you, Christie's. Sylvette David worked with Pablo Picasso and the world has some 60 pieces of art thanks to her collaboration with him. Without her, the phrase, "the girl with the ponytail" in reference to Picasso creations, would not exist. I think the world of art owes quite something to this lady, yet she appears so modest and unpretentious despite that. Am I being trite to say that true beauty never fades? Maybe, but I think your film provides more than a little evidence in support of that claim.

[@LisaGilley-Artist]

Thank you. I released a big sigh of happiness watching this video.

[@dongiogarciasantiago2864]

0935 Sat 22/06/24 ..she reminds me of brigit bardot...lives in england too 🇬🇧💙🇬🇧...it brings one lots n lots of joy n some sadness as it reminds us of father time n mortality n brevity on earth... xxx

[@gatabella3]

She said Brigitte took her style

[@dongiogarciasantiago2864]

@@gatabella3 ❤️💙❤🧡💛❤️‍🩹💗💖💝💘💟💚💙💜🤎🖤🤍

[@dongiogarciasantiago2864]

...so true...i read that story from a picasso book 👍

[@brentlesheim7084]

Yes but we all reincarnate.

[@king_kamala61]

This is exactly why I try to paint as many gorgeous women as possible. The history of the muse is an often forgot lore in artistry

[@sylvainst-pierre8725]

What an absolutely beautiful life story. Vous avez fait une différence dans la vie de plusieurs, tout au long de votre vie Mme David (Corbett) j'en suis persuadé.

[@claymationwaves]

beautiful

[@dailydoodle42]

1:28 wow what a picture

[@betheartof]

Thank you. Extraordinary, indeed.

[@pencilsandlight1318]

Wonderful video! She was such a beauty. No wonder Picasso painted her so many times. And interesting as an older person too.

[@jeffrydiamond]

I can relate to that--paintings being like children--it's sharing a private part of a person.

[@tthomas184]

She reminds me of Francois Gilot in that as talented as they both were, they were never able to free themselves from Picasso's artistic influence.

[@cut--]

took the words right out of my mouth.

[@bandicoot5412]

Nothing like living art

[@w.urlitzer1869]

very talented. bravo!

[@graemejones2061]

Stunning Lady, Now and then

[@user-hb2ku5oq5r]

Really nice video¡¡Thank you very much¡¡

[@Tinocat2024]

Your paintings are beautiful ❤

[@robertoavila5928]

La admiro.

[@miguelsuarez8010]

Watching this video gave me the impulse to go to the easel.

[@KQOAmericanLady]

What a treat Colbert my family xo

[@Hugo-nh4yz]

😍😍😍👏👏👏👏

[@homayounazarnoush5699]

🌸

[@patriciarangel9483]

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🙌🏻

[@thyslop1737]

If she has any Picasso's in her cache they are worth millions.

[@Julo-jb8zc]

What’s the music in this video?

[@Tony-InLosAngeles]

😊

[@r-cdmx]

Provenance. ✨

[@leespiderpod]

Did Picasso take those amazing black and white photos of her?

[@thyslop1737]

She had some serious blonde hair.

[@paulklee5790]

No fool that Picasso.

[@bastian27777]

I love the photographs. I wonder if Lydia married her boyfriend?

[@guharup]

Was he say a salmon gently grilled on one side in a slightly off mood?

[@Eizengoldt]

They defo…. You know

[@E-Kat]

I wish I were able to turn the music off! ☹️ I know the subtitles are available but I'd like to hear her voice Didn't expect music a documentary about Picasso! Also the music sounds as if it were made by one of these street boxes with a handle to turn! Sorry to be so critical , but I hope you take it as a constructive criticism. Thank you.

[@katewild2194]

Picasso let her pick a painting which he had done of her she picked the one that looked most like her she sold it when her friend/husband was I'll.

[@gatabella3]

Sylvette is very beautiful, of course, but the strange thing is that Picasso loved brunettes and on the whole didn't like very thin women, so I wonder why he really chose her as a muse, was it only to irritate his wife who was leaving him...

[@w.urlitzer1869]

you know nothing.

[@rlfmichigan]

@@w.urlitzer1869 says the person who knows even less

[@glenncambray9783]

"Art is extraordinary", maybe. But it is a toy compared to nature.

[@olivierbolton8683]

how true...and imagine Natures Creator...teaching us how delicate it All is..

[@michelles2299]

Picasso questionable?

[@judybartels4339]

Picasso was a monster!

[@Eizengoldt]

Horrible person

[@SundayMorningRunner]

Imagine drawing for decades and not progressing one bit. Awful paintings.

[@Philognosis1]

Well, he certainly wasn’t a good artist.