Actually, Stewart doesn’t necessarily see a problem with the age difference. “I think that depends entirely on each individual situation, not all of them are unpleasant,” he opines. “Obviously there are many cases where that has led to manipulation, coercion or control, even if it’s not intentional, but I don’t think it’s always a bad thing. I’m sure many couples handle it in a very happy and healthy way.”
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Knowing the story of some of history’s great muses, such as Picasso’s mistresses, how hard is it to love a genius? “I can’t imagine it, but it sounds horrible. I certainly wouldn’t want it for myself,” the illustrator confesses with a chuckle. “I remember when I was a student and visiting art galleries or reading about women like Dora Maar, who was also a great artist and photographer but is hardly mentioned.The biggest problem in those relationships is the way one person loses themselves completely, there is a kind of self-sublimation or they are asked to be smaller so that the other person can be bigger. It’s a frightening barrier,” he laments.
