The life of Pablo

PREEMINENT Picasso biographer John Richardson was a surprise panelist at a Sotheby’s luncheon celebrating National Geographic’s new series “Genius: Picasso” starring Antonio Banderas. A night before the lunch, intrepid organizer Peggy Siegal ran into Richardson at a dinner thrown by Mercedes Bass for Dame Vivien Duffield, and she invited him to attend her event. During a Q&A at the seated lunch the next day with Banderas and the cast — as well as Simon Shaw of Sotheby’s — Richardson was overheard adding interesting details from his table when it was suggested he join in. The “A Life of Picasso” author, who is in his mid-90s, treated the crowd to some fascinating insights into the artist’s life for guests including collector/gallerist Adam Lindemann, Susan Gutfreund, Sandy Brant, Judy Taubman, Spain’s consul general in NY Rafael Conde de Saro and Nat Geo’s Courteney Monroe.