Dear Woody Allen,

Woody Allen coined a phrase in one of his movies for the feral pigeons in New York City. He called them feathered rats. Sadly, this took root in the minds of the public, or worse, in the minds of everyone in the media who ever thought to do a story on pigeons.

22 June 1966, New York Times, pg. 59:
Commissioner Hoving (Parks Commissioner Thomas P. F. Hoving - ed.) calls the pigeon "a rat with wings."

31 December 1967, New York Times, pg. 190:
To discourage pigeons, recently defined as rats with wings, I scatter millet and cracked corn for juncos and other sparrows in the heart of brush pile which is kept for this purpose.

23 January 1981, Washington Post, pg. A1:
"I think Woody likes to create phobias," she (actress Charlotte Rampling - ed.) says. "He's afraid of pigeons. 'They're rats with wings,'" he says.

Reference

Mr. Stephen Tenenbaum
Personal Management - MBST Entertainment
445 North Maple Dr
Suite 200
Beverly Hills, Ca. 90210

To whom it may concern,

We are a professional couple living in London and who regularly work/ visit New York. We also work extensively for animal and bird welfare and have been alarmed for some years now at the appalling propaganda surrounding the humble "rock dove" or feral pigeon. These harmless gentle birds who have helped man-kind in so many ways (winners of the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross for carrying messages to and from during the war) are now denigrated quite erroneously as vermin because of a careless line uttered in a Woody Allen film many years ago.

My husband and myself are great Woody Allen fans and, as a voting member of BAFTA, I find myself wishing every year that we could see another of his offerings of genius.

However, the poison of these perhaps innocent words has spread to the pigeon hating custodians of our towns and cities, resulting in some mass slaughter in the UK and now Venice, as well as the promise of such in New York. Such cruelty has to be stopped - and the millions of dollars that the pest control industry are making out of this is frankly, quite obscene.

We are sure that Mr. Allen is a compassionate man, tolerant of the fact that human beings have to share the planet with others of God's creatures. We are not saying that an over-population of any creature should not be controlled, but there are ways and means of coping with this which do not include poisoning, shooting, being ripped apart by hawks or indeed starvation.

It would be a tremendous gesture of goodwill if Mr. Allen could see his way to attending National Pigeon Day in New York on l3th June and rescinding his comments as to what they were hopefully just meant to be - ie. lines of a fictional nature from a work of fiction. Maybe that would penetrate the closed minds of those too intolerant to find another way.

Sincerely,
Ann and John Gale,
London N65TT, UK
________________________________________

I concur with those who take the view that Mr. Allen's unfortunate popularization of the line, "rats with wings", describing pigeons, is simply stupid, in the precise technical sense of the word. Taken up by foolish people, this has led to all sorts of mischief. Your man needs to get off the dime and take responsibility for this error of commission.

Don Jenner, Ph.D.
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Mr. Allen,

Please do all you can to reverse harm to the pigeons that is caused by your careless words. Neither these birds nor rats deserve arrogant abuse and mistreatment. There is no need to bring multiple examples of both species high intelligence, just moral considerations alone should allow you to see how unfair we humans are to these constantly prosecuted animals. It’s shockingly stressful to observe contribution of highly cultural creative people in cruelty and violence against animals.

A. Belenky, Ph.D.
________________________________________

Dear Mr. Allen,

You have been a big influence in New Yorkers lives for decades now, however, with your public image and power comes a greater moral responsibility.

By using a demeaning and devastating phrase in one of your movies, you have cost (I am sure not intentionally) a tremendous hardship in the lives of millions of helpless pigeons around the city.

I live on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, and believe me, it is very difficult for pigeons to survive, not only are they starving to death, on a daily basis they are kicked, poisoned, glued, and simply hated, even by small children, who learn to hate from their parents.

These innocent animals have the capacity, as you and I do, to feel pain.

See, New Yorkers as all Americans, unfortunately, follow public figures and truly believe what these "famous" people say, whether they are in the movie business or politics. It is just part of the idiosyncrasy of the people of the USA, easy to influence and gullible.

Please, Mr. Allen, I urge you to make a public announcement, written would be the best way, to retrieve the phrase "pigeons are rats with wings", and explain to people that it was "just a movie phrase", that in fact scientific fact prove the opposite, they cause no harm, just joy, by giving us the chance to interact with nature in this cement and glass city.

Respectfully,
Lily Rocco
________________________________________

Dear Mr. Allen,

I am sure that over the years you have heard the many stories about how your comment in the movie 'Stardust Memories' has affected those persons who love and care for Rock Doves. The courageous Rock Dove has helped us through hard times (World War 1 and World War 11). We would love for others to understand that while you may be a brilliant actor, that words spoken in a movie do not represent the person playing the part.

We would love to request your presence on National Pigeon Day. We understand that you are quite busy, and that it's not typical of you to make such appearances, but this would be a wonderful opportunity to correct many wrongs that have occured, simply by a comment you made while writing a movie. I am sure you never meant any harm to come to these wonderful courageous birds, who have served man since the dawn of time. It was meant in humor, but much harm has occured as a result.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this, and I hope to hear your reply soon. If you don't have the time for an appearance, perhaps you could write a few words to help others understand that it was merely a movie part, not who you truly are in your heart.

Thanks again.
With much appreciation,
Wanda Miller
________________________________________

It's payback time. Years ago, in your film Stardust Memories, you made a species slur, referring to pigeons as "winged rats." People have been using your phrase to denigrate and decimate pigeons for over two decades. In case you haven't noticed (and I believe you have) this world is a hostile, violent, troubled world. Your words perpetuated more violence.

To "undo" this (as we say in psychology), you should publicly support pigeons' rights (no, not to vote... but to be left alone to live their lives without torment and torture from humans.

The war on pigeons was fueled by your words. You have the power to reverse it.

Rina Deych, RN and Wildlife Rehabilitator
Brooklyn, NY 11219

PS: For the record, humans carry far more(and deadlier)diseases than rats and pigeons.

Incidentally, documentarian Lionel Friedberg recently released a film entitled A Sacred Duty, Applying Jewish Values to Help Heal the World, which examines the connection between animal agriculture and global warming. You can read a synopsis and get access to the film here. As a filmmaker, I would imagine you'd be very interested in seeing it.
________________________________________

subject: cool can be cruel

Hey, Mr. Allen,

go out, show a little guts to make up for a stupid joke (if that's what it was supposed to be). hahaha. the pigeons loved it. if you don't step out to protect life, ALL life, then, i ask you: what's your life worth???

regards,
the pigeons and barbara
__________________________________________

Woody Allen Management
Stephen Tenenbaum
MBST Entertainment

Dear Sir:

I am writing to request that Woody Allen make an appearance at National Pigeon Day on Friday, June 13th, to make right the horrible disservice he’s done to our feral pigeon population; innocent pigeons are being persecuted and annihilated because of the cavalier remark "rats with wings" (Stardust Memories, 1980, written and directed by Woody Allen).

Remarks such as this one have helped destroy precious wildlife in New York City and throughout the world.

For nearly 30 years this slur has been perpetuated by the media who use it to ridicule and degrade pigeons so that they have no respect in our society and consequently are treated with contempt and hatred by the general public. It is also used by our elected government officials to justify killing and enforcing cruel and senseless laws, not to mention illegal pigeon netters, who still have not been punished for their vicious crimes.

In addition, the moniker is being used by pigeon control companies who make billions of dollars by exterminating pigeons under false pretenses -- all because of three little words written by Woody Allen.

Thank you for your kind attention,

Miss Poornima Dasgupta
Scarsdale, NY 10583
________________________________________

Please request that Woody Allen make an appearance on National Pigeon Day June 13th, to help right the wrongs he has committed by his cruel comments about pigeons. He has helped cause much animal cruelty that is very unnecessary.

Thank you,
Pamela Cortelyou
San Diego CA 92110
_________________________________________

Tikkun Olam. "To save one life is to save the world". Six thousand year old Hebrew tenet.

It is easier to slaughter than to save. It is more important to save life than anything in the world.

Far more important than making movies.

Howard Anger
__________________________________________

Recruit Woody Allen for National Pigeon Day!

Michael Clancy - mclancy@villagevoice.com
Recruit Woody Allen for National Pigeon Day!
Posted by Michael Clancy at 12:30 PM, February 21, 2008

Yo, Woody Allen. The New York Bird Club is calling on you to atone for your slurs against pigeons, by making a personal appearance at what organizers hope will be the first ever National Pigeon Day.

The president of the New York Bird Club Anna Dove wrote to her members:

Please contact the list below and request that Woody Allen make an appearance at National Pigeon Day on Friday, June, 13th (details forthcoming) to make right the horrible disservice he’s responsible for by causing our feral pigeon population which are being persecuted and annihilated because of cavalier remarks like "rats with wings" (Stardust Memories, 1980, written and directed by Woody Allen) .... For nearly 30 years this 'racial slur" has and is presently being perpetuated by the media who use it to ridicule and degrade pigeons so that they have no respect in our society and, therefore, are treated with contempt and hatred by the general public."

Organizers hope to hold the first National Pigeon Day on June 13th to mark the anniversary of the death of Cher Ami, a homing pigeon credited with saving the lives of 194 U.S. infantrymen in France during WWI.

The impetus to create a National Pigeon Day came as part of the backlash against two City Council bills seeking to curb the pigeon population.

C'mon, Woody, it's the right thing to do.
--------------------------------------------
Naomi Semeniuk on Woody Allen"

"Woody Allen and His Derision of Nature"

Woody Allen has given the cinema world many creative moments of unstoppable laughter and cinematic satirical musings that have won him accolades, but Woody Allen isn't one to get involved with nature or any life threatening environmental issue.

No question this man has the versatility to make hilarious witty films about the absurd inanities and ludicrousness of human nature that makes audiences laugh so hard that tears unfold. He was born to make movies and that's what he does best. Development beyond that is NOT in Woody's life's script, nor is pigeon reverence nor is divine solidarity with nature nor is the conservation and preservation of all species and their protection.

Allen also has the promethean ability to make a dark morbid film noir like "Matchpoint" in which the protagonist literally gets away with murder and acts of the most depraved evil. Films like these mirror his darker side which I believe he explores through the genre of his films as he magnifies and explores his inner demons through his art. I sometimes squirm unapprovingly at such films because they send a dead wrong message. Even though life imitates art and vice versa, no villain should get away if there's any justice in the universe and its mysterious forces yet we see this happening, and each time it tugs and gnaws at us with it's jarring effect throwing us off balance as we grasp for answers that aren't there.

Woody is as non involved with nature as severely autistic patients would be about the world around them. Many churches and clergy in our society are also autistic zombies in denial about the rest of the beings on the planet and elsewhere when it comes to the suffering plights of these beings. Woody like so many billions out there are nature's self made autistic non supporters and non involvers. They have nothing to say or feel about any natural animal species, nor do they care about Larsen shelves melting in the Arctic or the disappearance of 165 species and counting.

In Allen's neighborhood there's a pet farm with live farm animals but that's a place he would never visit. The black painted walls of Elaine's, a restaurant which gives me the hee bee gee bee creeps is the hangout which has made its mark of distinction because it's Woody's hangout. If Dracula was an interior designer he'd design "Elaine's" as the restaurant of his trademark. The ghoulishness of Elaine's restaurant lingers in my memory so that one visit there was enough for me. I expected Dracula to walk in any minute. Being there was a dining experience fit for the color blinded that only see the black and white colors of the earth and no other colors of the planet come into focus with them. I'm stupefied as to why a creative mind would want to dine in an artless ghoulish atmosphere such as Elaine's. I'd prefer the Dr. Jekell and Mr. Hyde restaurant because at least it has zany humor and unpredictability made to laugh at oneself.

I recall how Mr. Allen once said that when he went to the country he really couldn't stand it because he really can't stand anything having to do with nature and that accounts for his nefarious ignorant statement describing pigeons as winged rats in his 1980 movie "Stardust Memories". I don't know if Allen would know the difference between a rat or a swan or vice versa. Allen sees no beauty in anything outside of his one dimensional world view purview. It's the female specie that he's taken a fancy to at the moment that he wishes to devour and devour he has. His latest film "Cassandra's Crossing" came and went with the wisp of the wind. That was also a dark film with no laughter in it and characters trying to beat the system with their lack of moral convictions.

Woody broke Mia Farrow's heart after a long time relationship with her when Mia Farrow found nude photos of her then young adopted daughter, who Allen is currently married to. Their world toppled and Farrow and Allen went their separate ways permanently. Unlike the clinging long face lugubrious looking wives' of fallen politicians who are disgraced as a result of their own uncontrollable boudoir carnal vices and getting caught doing them, Mia has been a woman very much in control of herself and has held her head up high with a smashing tenacious dignity since she doesn't need to hold on to Allen's coattails of movie power, or any power for any reason. Her power is developing in quantum leaps forward as it gets more polished and defined from thinking and flying out of the box like a pigeon navigating the earth's magnetic fields in a headlong dynamic flight pattern. Mia has thrown the book at Woody dropping this, the man in her life, like a piece of rotten rancid food that's been in the refrigerator for too long. Mia Farrow has become the world's spokesperson and UN emissary for the humanitarian crisis in Darfur and has campaigned for an end to the holocaust in Darfur.

Woody never married Mama Mia, and when Farrow said that Allen molested their seven year old at the time this accusation was dismissed and put in a back burner. Woody's depth of field is like having only a frontal vision of the world without the peripheral views and the views from beyond those views. He has never been known to walk with a dog or even own one as far as I know. Can you imagine Allen going to rescue any animal let alone a pigeon? Allen would never have the guts to hold a news conference on catching bird netters, stopping pigeon hunts or any other form of blood splattered animal canned hunts. His Hollywood heart does not bleed for them. He would never lend himself to any outside cause except the success of his cinematic creations.

Moviemakers have to be responsible for what's on the screen and the more they steer themselves into those unexplored magnetic fields that pigeons understand so well, the more film makers will diversify and make precise statements through the power of film about social and environmental issues. I would think that Woody Allen would have an apoplectic conniption if a pigeon landed on his shoulder. He's nature's buffoon lampooning at himself and blurring the wonders of nature.

"Pigeon Genius" the National Geographic Special is a knockout documentary on the fascinating vagaries and natural gifts of pigeons. This ornithological tour de force of a documentary seen on the National Geographic Channel recently should be included in every school curriculum and also in the churches whose congregation and clergy are also autistic zombies where the only souls that matter are always predictably human. With these stale zombie minds all around us, there's never a synergy with all the dynamics of nature and the universe, but this documentary about the film "Pigeon Genius" is electrifying and an epiphany for many who never knew the wonders of pigeons.

In his position Allen, a long time resident of the upper east side where I also come from, is one to never be a green visionary for the neighborhood. Saving a tree or birds or any non human species is not in his train of thought. I think he'd be terrified of our fine feathered friends and he'd cringe and avoid them with an adamant passion even if he saw one in pain. It takes one with a spiritual impetus and spiritual intelligence and foresight to save a helpless animal in the street, but in Allen's case it's all about an ego trapped in a Petri dish grabbing its one cell and multiplying it tens of millions of times over and over again waiting to say "cut" or "print" on his films. That door inside him that's eternally shut has never been opened to venture outside himself to seek something more majestic than himself.

If the mind is like a parachute, and that it works better when its opened, than so is the dramatic paradigm shift in the mind of the pro nature-pro animal activist whose doors within are opened to a matrix of nature that's bleeding and in need of those minds that are opened like parachutes but keep their brains in touch with those feathered and furry creatures everywhere in the planet who are crying out for help. This is not Woody's world. The earth cinema circle is also not his world. We know what to expect when we go to a Woody Allen film. Humans inhabit the world. No, Woody Allen isn't about to fight for humanitarian causes nor climate change causes or green causes or animal abuse causes. His focus is on self gratification and ego stratification and on to the next movie project.

As in so many of his films Woody Allen is portraying himself and the inner fragments of himself are scattered out there on the giant screens in every one of his films. Lately his direction of his two recent films "Matchpoint" and Cassandra's Crossing", has Allen in a film noir state of mind where his darker side has been mirrored. Woody Allen is very much the pre-eminent nerd who made it in the film world but one who cannot shape shift into a crusader of something other than his latest movie project. Like so many of his elk, Woody's world is the one world where he's succeeded and continues to succeed. There're no other world other than the one he creates on camera and off camera and they're no other beings or subplots or major plots other than the females he can have and can't have. It's an endless insatiable quest for the insatiable conquest of his carnal giddy mind. Woody does not have eyes for the causes outside other than his cinematic agendas and his private agendas. Woody in some ways is just like the main character in Lolita where the mature man played by Jeremy Irons and the late Peter Sellers has a fatalistic manic addiction for beautiful little girls. Now years later, his wife formerly his adopted daughter, goes everywhere with him. Mia Farrow on the other hand turned to the humanitarian crisis in Darfur and made that cause her overarching social cause for justice. She's championed this cause for the UN and the world and has been a Hollywood whistleblower for the atrocities that are happening there.

In one of his recent movies "Matchpoint" the protagonist gets away with the premeditated bloody murder of his paramour, and in this movie Mr. Allen sends a message of societal unaccountability which happens when civilizations collapse. The Best Bird Club wants Woody Allen to see the error of his ways since he coined the damning phrase "winged rats" in his 1980 movie "Stardust Memories" and to redeem himself and make peace with the nature he abhors so much, but unfortunately it's not about to happen. London's "Save the Pigeons" and other organizations like them are fighting for the lives of these precious birds who are always in the line of fire. The bird wars with the human adversaries making war against these most graceful, beautiful indomitable spirits that all pigeons possess must be dealt with.

We hope that Governor Patterson will take up the gauntlet and become aware that the presence of bird netters ravaging our neighborhoods and butchering pigeons for black market businesses should be one of the priority issues that needs to be on the frontline battleground of black market atrocities and businesses that need to be crushed for good.

Some time ago I took it upon myself to write a snail mail letter to ex Governor Spitzer about the escalating business of bird netting in New York State to which I never received a reply since whoring and selling New York down the path of perdition and degradation was at the top of his agenda. Let's hope the tide will turn a full 360 degrees and that our wildlife will be saved and the netters will be netted out of business for good.

If you Love Pigeons, You are in Good Company

Charles Darwin - (theorist) Scientist and Author whose writings include " On the Origin of Species (1859) The Descent Of Man (1871), The Voyage Of The Beagle (1909)" and a "A variety of plants and animals under domestication". Together with Wallace, offered the theory of evolution. Darwin kept all kinds of breeds of pigeons and who showed us that all breeds can be traced to Columba livia, the wild rock dove. He had a loft with a variety of fancy breeds which he used to develop his hypothesis of "Theory of Domestication" using selective breeding techniques. He was an active member of some London pigeon clubs, and reference to his pigeons and his scientific results is published and available on-line.

Pablo Picasso - (artist). Picasso loved pigeons so much that he named his daughter Paloma, which means pigeon in Spanish. Picasso's father also kept pigeons and specialized in painting the same.

Nicola Tesla. - American electricity pioneer. See: http://www.mercury.gr/tesla/lifeen.html.
"He used to have a walk every day in the park to feed the pigeons. If for any reason, he could not carry out this duty, he would pay a child to feed the pigeons in his place. There is a strange relation mentioned with a white pigeon which every day visited Tesla through his open window. He was kicked out of a few high brow Hotels for that, he would bring in injured birds and try to rehab them in the room. Tesla said that his life had a meaning as long as this pigeon existed, and indeed when the pigeon died, Tesla's work ended."

Isaac Bashevis Singer -In "PIGEONS" Singer wrote the most beautiful story I know about the Holocaust. Not surprisingly, it does not take on the subject directly but symbolically. The story has to do with one Professor Eibeschutz, a scholar who has taken to feeding the pigeons on the street below his apartment. He tells his Polish maid Tekla that doing so is more important to him than going to synagogue. "God is not hungry for praise," he reasons, "but the pigeons wait each day from sunrise to be fed. There is no better way to serve the Creator than to be kind to his creatures." One recalls here that, when asked why he had turned vegetarian, Singer said that he did it not for his own but for the chicken's sake.

Woody Allen - "I think people should mate for life, like pigeons or Catholics."

Walt Disney -Walt Disney was awarded the NPA Levi Service Award for the movie "Pigeon Fly Home".

Senator Hilaire La Haye, -Secretary to the Belgium Govt, he named his birds after prominent members of the Belgium Government.

Alexander Alexandrovich Romanova III - The Batiushka-Tsar of Russia kept his pigeons in a house like a small palace at Gatchina until his sad and surprising death in the Crimea in 1894. These pigeons were named "Ostanski Golubi" and "Pokrovski" that he acquired from his brother Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich Romanova after watching them fly as the young Tsarevich at Tsarskoe Selo.

Karl Hagenbeck - Who kept all kinds of breeds at his zoo in Hamburg, Germany. Hagenbeck was the first or among the first to do away with cages at his zoo, using moats instead.

Andy Capp - famous cartoon character.

Dr. Jean Hansell - "People just don't make the connection between the dove of peace and the pigeon in the street."

Jim Jenner - A pigeon enthusiast and filmmaker from Montana who has dedicated much of his life to making educational documentaries about his favorite bird. "For the past fifty years, I've watched the total erosion of respect for the bird," Jim says. "One of the world's most revered creatures and one of nature's most phenomenal athletes has been reduced to the status of vermin in the minds of the general public." Jenner is right, of course: Once a war hero, the feral pigeon is now the underdog of the animal kingdom.

Pigeons were brought to the United States by the first settlers. It is thought that they originated in Southern Asia. They have a typical lifespan of about 15 years, and the oldest known pigeon lived to be 33 years old. Like most humans, pigeons have a strong sense of family and devotion to their children. They mate for life, and both parents care for their young. They flock in large numbers in order to protect themselves against cats, hawks, owls, and rats. During breeding season, when there are many baby birds, both male and female pigeons produce milk in their crops, and all parents will feed all babies, whether or not they are their own.

Pigeons are known to be very intelligent. They quickly commit new images to memory and organize information in the same way that humans do. They can even distinguish between paintings of different styles and by different artists.

Pigeons also have excellent vision. They can see not just color, but also ultraviolet light. They can see far better than humans can and also are able to concentrate on a visual task for many more hours than we can—a discovery that led to a joint Coast Guard and Navy venture called Project Sea Hunt, in which pigeons were used to spot orange life vests at sea.

By sensing the Earth’s magnetic field through the use of a magnetic “map” inside their beaks, pigeons are able to return to their home roosts even when released in a new location several thousand miles away. The ancient Egyptians and Romans used pigeons as reliable messengers, Reuters News Service was originally created with a network of message-carrying pigeons, and pigeons have been used to carry messages in times of war.

In World War I, a pigeon named Cher Ami delivered a vital message to the famous “Lost Battalion.” Cher Ami saved nearly 200 human lives but was shot on his way and was blinded and lost a leg on his final flight. In World War II, a pigeon named GI Joe saved at least 1,000 allied soldiers’ lives by making it back to camp in the nick of time carrying a message that allied troops had just occupied a city about to be bombed. He was awarded the Dickin Medal for gallantry by the Lord Mayor of London.

"Cher Ami" was a registered Black Check Cock carrier pigeon, one of 600 birds owned and flown by the U.S. Army Signal Corps in France during World War I.

He delivered 12 important messages within the American sector at Verdun, France. On his last mission, "Cher Ami," shot through the breast by enemy fire, managed to return to his loft. A message capsule was found dangling from the ligaments of one of his legs that also had been shattered by enemy fire. The message he carried was from Major Whittlesey's "Lost Battalion" of the 77th Infantry Division that had been isolated from other American forces.

Just a few hours after the message was received, 194 survivors of the battalion were safe behind American lines .

"Cher Ami" was awarded the French "Croix de Guerre" with Palm for his heroic service between the forts of Verdun. He died in 1919 as a result of his battle wounds. "Cher Ami" was later inducted into the Racing Pigeon Hall of Fame in 1931 and received a gold medal from the Organized Bodies of American Racing Pigeon Fanciers in recognition of his extraordinary service during World War I.

"Cher Ami" is on display at the National Museum of American History, Behring Center, in the exhibition "The Price of Freedom: Americans At War."

Prepared by the Armed Forces History Collectionsin cooperation with the Public Inquiry Mail Service 12/01

Pigeons are beloved in books and film and have been featured in many movies, including the Michael Landon film Where Pigeons Go to Die and the Charlton Heston film The Pigeon That Took Rome. The 2005 Valiant tells the story of a pigeon hero in the Royal Air Force.

Humans have long recognized the likable qualities of pigeons and have made pigeons a large part of their lives. Such “pigeon fanciers” include Queen Elizabeth II, George Foreman, Mike Tyson, Yul Brynner, Marlon Brando, Tony Curtis, Elvis Presley, Charles Darwin, Walt Disney, Claude Monet, and Pablo Picasso.