fernandelady with a fan, 1906fernande à la mantille noire, paris, 1905–06portrait of fernande olivier with a kerchief on her head, 1906fernandeportrait of fernande olivier, 1905-1906fernande olivier, pablo picasso, and ramón rentevós
fernande olivier moved to paris in 1900 where she modeled for various painters. she met picasso at the bateau-lavoir in 1904. although she was married, she began a love affair with picasso and their relationship lasted seven years. characterized by its tempestuousness, they were both jealous lovers, and their passions sometimes exploded into violence. picasso would paint over 60 portraits of her.
once picasso met with success he tired or her and they separated in 1912. in 1930, twenty years after their relationship, she wrote a memoir of their life together, picasso et ses amis. in 1956, deaf and suffering from arthritis, she finally succeeded in persuading picasso to pay her a small pension in exchange for her promise to no longer publish anything about their relationship as long as either were alive. she died in 1966.