60 - Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) & Madoura Workshops

Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) & Madoura Workshops Face No. 197, 1963. Glazed and painted earthenware, titled, numbered 91/500, and marked “Edition Picasso” and “Madoura” on the back Diameter: 26 cm. Provenance: > Gift from the artist to Tériade > Private bequest from Alice Tériade, 2007 > Private collection, Paris Bibliography: > RAMIÉ (Alain). Picasso: Catalog of Ceramic Works Published 1947–1971. Editions Madoura, 1988, no. 494 Condition Report: Previously restored From the personal collection of the renowned art critic and publisher Tériade, this white earthenware plate illustrates the bonds of friendship and mutual esteem that united the two men, particularly through their prestigious collaborations for the magazine *Verve*. Designed in 1963, the work reflects Picasso’s fierce determination to democratize art by creating limited-edition pieces—an approach that resonated deeply with Tériade’s work as a publisher. Here, the artist breaks with decorative tradition by transforming the round form itself into an anthropomorphic face drawn in a single stroke: using asymmetrical strokes of blue and green engobe and minimalist graphics, he captures an expression of great freshness. The presence of this ceramic piece in Tériade’s collection underscores the special place that Vallauris’s creations held among the greatest art dealers of the 20th century.