The Picasso muse who became an artist

Liz Anderson

Artist Lydia Corbett who modelled for Pablo Picasso in the early sixties

With her long blonde hair tied in a ponytail, Sylvette David is familiar from many of Picasso’s paintings. She met the artist in the South of France as a teenager and became one of his models – his muse but never his mistress — during the spring of 1954 (Picasso’s relationship with Françoise Gilot had ended and he hadn’t yet met Jacqueline Roque). A collection of drawings, paintings, metal sculptures and ceramics documenting their relationship can now be seen in the Kunsthalle Bremen’s exhibition Sylvette, Sylvette, Sylvette: Picasso and the Model (until 22 June). And in London, the Francis Kyle Gallery, 9 Maddox Street, W1, is showing some of Sylvette’s own work (she changed her name to Lydia Corbett): World in a Flower (until 3 April), watercolours done over the past two years. Corbett has said that she will always be grateful to Picasso for his kindness – giving her the confidence to follow in his footsteps.

Lydia Corbett’s ‘Dreaming of my home in Provence’

Lydia Corbett’s ‘Still life with girl and garland’

Lydia Corbett’s ‘The autumn dance’

Lydia Corbett’s ‘The merry-go-round’