Pablo Picasso: Large plate "Visage dans un carré”
Ø 42 cm, Madoura ceramics 1956, early original cast, no. 21 of 100 limited pieces
Marked: "Madoura plein feu / Empreinte Originale de Picasso / C 120"
Numbered: "21 / 100"
Cf. Alain Ramié: No. 354 p. 181, Georges Ramié: No. 428 Fig. p. 180, Collection Lauren Bacall, 88/100 (Bonhams New York 31.03.2015 No. 477), The Arthur and Anita Kahn Collection, New York (Chistie’s 3. - 17.11.2015 No. 68, 83/100), Wright Auctions, Chicago 15.12.2011 No. 306, 63/100
Description
"Empreinte Original de Picasso" means ceramics made from a model form (negative) produced by Picasso himself. The plate of fresh clay was pressed into the Picasso mould in the Madoura workshop, so that the relief was transferred to it. After drying, the first firing was carried out at about 1,100 degrees; then the painting according to the model created by Picasso – the "pièce de garde" – and another firing, which fixed the glaze and colours.
The entirety of the pieces from a mould is called an edition - in our case 100 pieces.
It should be noted that the quality of the model form (Gibs) looses with each casting. After repeated use, the fineness and sharpness of the relief gradually diminishes, and it even dulls completely with excessive use. (see: Exhibition Catalogue Picasso Ceramics from the Madoura Manufactory, Kunstverein Düsseldorf, 1961/62 Introduction)
In our plate - with the early number 21 of 100 - it is noticeable that the contours are particularly pronounced.
The large plate was made in 1956 (Ramié loc. cit.), the same year that Picasso started to create the so-called "Plats Espagnols" in Madoura - these are plates of similar size, but with a curved mirror.
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