When Harry Met Pablo

Truman, Picasso, and the Cold War Politics of Modern Art

By: Matthew Algeo

Narrated by: Pat Grimes

Harry Truman and Pablo Picasso were contemporaries and were both shaped by and shapers of the great events of the twentieth century—the man who painted Guernica and the man who authorized the use of atomic bombs against civilians.

But in most ways, they couldn’t have been more different. Picasso was a communist, and probably the only thing Truman hated more than communists was modern art. Picasso was an indifferent father, a womanizer, and a millionaire. Truman was utterly devoted to his family and, despite his fame, far from a rich man. How did they come to be shaking hands in front of Picasso’s studio in the south of France?

Truman’s meeting with Picasso was quietly arranged by Alfred H. Barr Jr., the founding director of New York’s Museum of Modern Art and an early champion of Picasso. Barr knew that if he could convince these two ideological antipodes, the straight-talking politician from Missouri and the Cubist painter from Málaga, to simply shake hands, it would send a powerful message, not just to reactionary Republicans pushing McCarthyism at home but to the whole world: modern art was not evil.

A rigorous history with a heartwarming center, When Harry Met Pablo intertwines the biographies of Truman and Picasso, the history of modern art, and twentieth-century American politics, but at its core, it is the touching story of two old men who meet for the first time and realize they have more in common—and are more alike—than they ever imagined.

©2023 Matthew Algeo (P)2023 Dreamscape Media

Truman’s administration

This would have been a great book if it were titled Truman’s Administration. But it is not. There is very little about the meeting of Harry and Pablo.

Essay

This was a very informative book and a good listen. My only complaint is that at times it feels like you are listening to an essay.
I did learn a lot!

Interesting background to an unlikely meetup.

This book just goes to show that even minor historical events can be illustrative if framed within context.
The author does a great job of bringing seemingly insignificant players in the worlds of politics and art to the forefront, capturing the antipathy and ridiculous fear-mongering about the threat of Modern Art. The culmination of the meeting two giants of their time and worlds is almost a let down, but makes me smile in retrospect. If you are all interested in art history, it’s a worthwhile read.

Now for my usual gripe about narrators: Why oh why don’t the publishing houses coach the narrators on pronunciation, especially of other languages? One would think that a book that is about a meeting that takes place in France would be narrated by someone who would at least google the pronunciation of places and words in French! The narration is fine, otherwise, and it’s really a shame to subject the listener to such an unnecessary irritation.

Truth is better than fiction

I’ve always respected Harry Truman and admired Pablo Picasso and the chance meeting between the two was appealing. In this book there’s much to learn about art history and how it unfortunately intersected with politics. Stories like this are a rarity but this author has captured this one with thoroughness and aplomb, not to mention a bit of wry humor which was perfectly exemplified by Harry Truman. This is a gem!

A historical medley

The narration was first-rate and audio truly made the text come alive. I do not consider myself a history buff, but am now much better acquainted with these characters. Mr. Algeo wove many viewpoints, vignettes of time and place, and I daresay side quests into this journey. I appreciated the care he took with characters in the fray, acknowledging their stories as valuable, not only as supporting Harry or Pablo. This book reminded me of Americans in Paris with its wide-ranging dance around a central theme.
I look forward to the next journey this author invites me to.

Scattered story line

Interesting history, but little detail on meeting between the two. Mostly used as vehicle to tell rambling, loosely connected tales and express author's political views.