Reference

Ramie, Alain. Picasso: Catalogue of the Edited Ceramic Works 1947–1971. Galerie Madoura, Vallauris, 1988. (Ramié 454, illustrated p.342)

Created by

Madoura Pottery, Vallauris, France

Edition

65/100

Hand-numbered on the reverse.

Dimensions

17.8 cm diameter (7 in.)

Condition

A well-preserved example with strong colour, crisp engraved decoration and clear Madoura stamps and edition markings to the reverse. In very good condition.

Catalogue Note

Created in 1960, Visage de Face belongs to Picasso's celebrated series of ceramic faces produced in collaboration with the Madoura workshop in Vallauris. By this stage, ceramics had become one of the artist's most inventive fields of experimentation, allowing him to merge drawing, sculpture and functional form within a single object.

The present work demonstrates Picasso's extraordinary ability to evoke expression through the most economical of means. A handful of engraved lines define the eyes, nose and smiling mouth, transforming the circular ceramic surface into a lively and highly individual portrait. One eye appears partially closed, lending the face a playful, almost conspiratorial expression, while the asymmetry of the features animates the composition with characteristic humour and vitality.

Unlike many of Picasso's painted ceramic faces, Visage de Face relies upon incised decoration accentuated by oxidised paraffin, creating subtle tonal variations and a rich interplay between line, relief and glaze. The engraved marks catch the light across the surface, producing an effect that is both graphic and sculptural. The contrast between the smooth glazed areas and the raised engraved elements enhances the tactile quality of the work and demonstrates Picasso's sophisticated understanding of ceramic processes.

Issued in an edition of only one hundred examples, Visage de Face is considerably scarcer than many of Picasso's editioned ceramic plates. It is an elegant and highly characteristic example of the artist's Vallauris production, combining wit, technical innovation and expressive economy in a form that remains instantly recognisable as Picasso.