Olga Khokhlova

Khokhlova was born in the town of Nizhyn, Chernigov Governorate, Russian Empire (present-day Ukraine) on 17 June 1891. Her father, Stepan Khokhlov, was a colonel in the Imperial Russian Army. Her mother Lydia Zinchenko was of Ukrainian descent. The Khokhlov family had three sons and two daughters. Olga decided to be a ballerina after being encouraged by a friend's sister who had joined the Diaghilev ballet. She studied in Saint Petersburg at a private ballet school and successfully auditioned to join the Ballets Russes of impresario Sergei Diaghilev, based in Paris. She performed in Europe and later America as a member of the company. == Relationship with Picasso ==

In 1917, Pablo Picasso became involved in Parade, a ballet produced by Sergei Diaghilev, to music by Erik Satie and plot by Jean Cocteau. The ballet premiered on 18 May 1917 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. Picasso had designed the costumes and set for the ballet. After seeing Khokhlova dance in rehearsals for a ballet named Les Femmes de Bonne Humeur in Italy, he fell in love with her. After meeting Picasso, Khokhlova left the dance company, which toured South America. She stayed in Barcelona with him. He introduced her to his family. At first, his mother disapproved of the idea of having Khokhlova as a daughter-in-law. However, Khokhlova was intent on marrying Picasso. They maintained a long engagement, in which she initially resisted sleeping with him. Khokhlova was isolated and reliant on Picasso, having become trapped in Spain without a passport. At this time, Picasso painted his first portrait of her as a Spanish girl (Olga Khokhlova in Mantilla). After waiting six months for a visa, Khokhlova returned with Picasso to Paris. They lived apart for six months, with Khokhlova living at Hôtel Lutétia and Picasso living at his rented villa in Montrouge. To celebrate their engagement, Picasso painted Olga in an Armchair, a traditional portrait of Khokhlova in the style of Ingres, which depicts her wearing a black dress and holding a fan. == Married life ==

Khokhlova married Picasso on 12 July 1918, at the Russian Orthodox Cathedral at the Rue Daru in Paris. Jean Cocteau and Max Jacob were witnesses to the marriage. The wedding had been postponed from May 1918, due to Khokhlova experiencing pain from a foot injury. The injury forced her to undergo an operation that resulted in having to wear plaster encasing her right leg. It was only when the leg had healed that the marriage could take place. After the wedding, the Picassos spent their honeymoon at the villa of Eugenia Errázuriz in Biarritz, where Picasso made drawings of his wife. By September 1918, Khokhlova had recovered from her injury, but required rehabilitation. She never danced again in public. By October 1918, the couple returned to Paris in search of an apartment. Picasso's dealer, Paul Rosenberg, found a suitable apartment next to his own home, at 23, Rue La Boétie, into which the Picassos moved the week before Christmas 1918. ==Marriage breakdown==

On 4 February 1921, Khokhlova gave birth to a boy Paul Joseph Picasso usually known as 'Paulo'. She was mistakenly buried in an English rather than a Russian cemetery. == Descendants ==

Khokhlova's son Paul (Paulo), who died on 5 June 1975, was married to Emilienne Lotte 10 May 1950. They divorced in 1953. They had two children: Pablito (born 5 May 1949 – died by suicide 2 July 1973) and Marina (born 14 November 1950). Later, Paulo married Christine Pauplin on 9 March 1962. The couple's only child, Bernard Ruiz-Picasso, co-founded the Picasso Museum in Malaga along with his mother. ==Notes==