The Women Who Shaped Matisse and Picasso with Sophie Haydock & Sue Roe

Would we know the names Picasso and Matisse today without the women who loved, challenged and shaped them? In this revelatory conversation, acclaimed biographer Sue Roe (Hidden Portraits: The Untold Stories of Six Women Who Loved Picasso) and novelist and Folkestone Book Festival curator Sophie Haydock (Madame Matisse) explore the intimate, untold lives of the women behind two of the 20th century’s most iconic artists.

From wives and muses to models and managers, these women were more than inspiration – they were collaborators, gatekeepers, caregivers and survivors. Yet history has often cast them in shadow. Together, Roe and Haydock examine the lives of women like Dora Maar, Françoise Gilot and Amélie Matisse – women whose relationships with artists defined both the work and the myth, but who were too often written out of the final frame.

What does it mean to be immortalised in paint – but erased by history? Who controls the legacy of genius? And how do we begin to restore credit where it’s long overdue? A powerful, necessary reappraisal of art, legacy, and the women who made modernism possible – from two writers dedicated to telling the stories history forgot.

Please note: this event lasts for one hour, followed by an opportunity to purchase the books upstairs in The Clearing and have them signed by the authors

This event is kindly sponsored by Holiday Extras

FIND OUT MORE

Folkestone Book Festival is our annual celebration of books, bold ideas and the power of storytelling – by the sea. Curated by award-winning author and journalist Sophie Haydock (The Flames, Madame Matisse), this year’s programme features more than 50 events over 11 days, bringing together world-class writers, radical thinkers and unforgettable conversations – all inspired by Folkestone’s spirit of enabling creativity and transformative change.

We want the festival to be for everyone. That’s why we’ve introduced a £5 ticket – a no-questions-asked option for anyone who might be struggling to afford events.

And if you’re planning to come to more than a handful of events, don’t miss our great-value Festival Pass, which gives you access to all events (excluding classes, which need to be booked separately) for just £140.

There’s so much to discover – from headline talks to intimate workshops, big ideas to local voices. Check out the full programme, including our much-loved Local Talent Showcase and a new series of Creative Writing Workshops designed to spark your imagination.

We delighted that our onsite bookseller this year is Waterstones Folkestone.

We thank our major sponsor Saga and supporting sponsors Eurotunnel, Holiday Extras and Friends of the Folkestone Book Festival along with our Education Partner, Canterbury Christ Church University for making this year's festival possible. Creative Folkestone is also supported by Arts Council England, Folkestone and Hythe District Council and The Roger De Haan Charitable Trust.