Pablo Picasso Ceramics: The Madoura Collection

Picasso and Suzanne Ramie at the Madoura Atelier

 

Pablo Picasso was undoubtedly an extraordinary 20th century painter but  I also feel that in the  field of Abstract Impressionism his ceramics were also remarkable. All of Picasso’s ceramics were produced at the Madoura pottery run by the Ramie family in Vallauris in the south of France. Whilst on holiday in Golfe Juan with Françoise Gilot in 1946, Picasso visited the annual pottery exhibition of local crafts in Vallauris, where he met Suzanne Ramié, who invited him to visit her atelier, which she had restored from one of the town’s old abandoned potteries. The same day Picasso produced several pieces of pottery there. He went on to create more than 3,500 plates, vases, pitchers and other forms – hundreds of which were turned into edition pieces.. Edition Picasso ceramics were made in multiples of 25 to 500.

You don’t have to have deep pockets or be a founding partner of Google to pick up your own Picasso. Ceramics by the artist can be bought for as little as £600 to £1200. At the recent Picasso Ceramics: The Madoura Collection auction at Christie’s on 25-26 June, 543 Lots were on offer and the whole collection was sold. Many ceramics which had remained untouched since they were created were on offer and  pre – sale expectations were exceeded by up to four times during the auction. I dropped a video to highlight the size of some of the pieces followed by some  images of items that were sold.

 

Picasso Ceramics: The Madoura Collection auction at Christie’s

 

 

 

 

Ceramic plate by Picasso, with flowers in a vase

‘Bouquet’  by Pablo Picasso

 

 

Picasso Ceramic Pitcher Canard pique-fleurs ceramic pitcher with face motif

‘Canard pique-fleurs’ – Pablo Picasso

 

 

Large vase - Grand vase aux femmes voilées - Pablo Picasso

‘Grand vase aux femmes voilées’ — Pablo Picasso

 

 

Pichet-espagnol Pablo Picasso

‘Pichet-espagnol’   — Pablo Picasso

 

 

Personnages et têtes Pablo Picasso cylindrical vases with full naked figure motifs

‘Personnages et têtes’   — Pablo Picasso

 

 

Personnages et têtes charger with seven black figures

Picasso – ‘Personnages et têtes’ 1956

White Enamel with 7 figures in black

 

Colombe-brillante ovoid platter with dove motif

‘Colombe brillante’ by Pablo Picasso

Estimate – $4000 – 6000

Realized – $34,850

 

Picasso - Abstract cubist face with matador hat

Abstract cubist ‘Grande tête de femme au chapeau orné’ by Pablo Picasso

( Large Woman’s Head with Ornate Hat ) – 1964

 

 

Neptune abstract ceramic plaque by Picasso

Ceramic plaque – ‘Neptune’

This was one of the more inexpensive pieces that went for $3700

 

 

Visage de femme - square ceramic plaque by Picasso

‘Visage de femme’ – Pablo Picasso

 

Mustard ovoid plate with bull motif by Picasso

Ovoid plate with bull motif – ‘Taureau gravé’ – Picasso

 

 

two ceramic pitchers in teal green, and black on white by Picasso

Pair of ‘Femme’ pitchers

 Madoura turned pitchers of white earthenware clay with decoration in engobes; glazed inside.

 

 

Picasso La Danse

‘La-danse’ – Pablo Picasso

1957

 

Picasoo abstract face on a ceramic terracotta plaque

‘Femme au Chapeau a Fleurs’, (Woman with Flowery Hat)

1964

 Red earthenware clay rectangular plaque

 

White ceramic plate with relief decoration of a man with a spear riding a horsse

‘Cavalier Faun’, 1956

A ceramic round dish of white earthenware clay relief depicting a faun on horseback surrounded by a relief border of smiling, circular faces.

 

 

Square plaque with large face motif - --Picasso

Terracotta plaque – ‘Visage-aux-cheveux-bouclés’ by Picasso

 

 

 

Visage Bowl - Pablo Picasso - red, white,black and blue with four suns and abstract face motif

‘Visage No 59’ – Pablo Picasso

 

 

Vase-au-bouquet white plate with flower in vase motif by Picasso

‘Vase au bouquet’ – Picasso

 

 

terracotta clay plate with black and white owl - Pablo Picasso

‘Hibou blanc sur fond rouge’ -(Owl white on red background) — Pablo Picasso

 

 

Pablo Picasso terracotta ceramic bird sculpture with painted face motif

‘Hibou’ – Pablo Picasso

 

 

two pitchers and a small dish by Pablo Picasso

‘Pichet aux arums’ – Pablo Picasso

 

 

Ceramic Picasso owl figure

‘Gros oiseau visage noir’ ( Big bird black face) – Pablo Picasso

 

 

Picasso ceramic late in black and white

‘Paysage’  – Pablo Picasso

 

 

Picasso plate with large goat head in brown, black and white

‘Tête de chèvre de profil’ (profile goat head) – Picasso

 

 

Madoura-Ovoid plate with fish motif by Picasso

‘Poisson bleu’ – Pablo Picasso

 

 

Square red clay plaque by Picasso with large face motif

‘Visage d’homme’ – Picasso

 

 

owl-brown-black-picasso

Owl brown, black – Picasso

 

Pablo Picasso ceramic vessel with bullfight motifs

Large handled vase with bull fight – Picasso

 

 

 

arena-picasso-vase

Arena’ – Picasso

 

 

picasso-twin-handled-vase - Valleuris

Picasso vase

 

 

white plate with face motif of Jacqueline in black lines

‘Jacqueline’s Profile’, Pablo Picasso

1956

Somewhat hieroglyphic in nature, this depiction of Picasso’s second wife Jacqueline conveys her as strikingly beautiful; with decorative hair, large eyes, and triangular nose, she brings to mind an Egyptian pharaoh. Picasso’s dark brown lines pop against the glossy ivory background, further highlighting Jacqueline’s iconic profile.

Some other Pablo Picasso works :

Blue glass Dove Of Peace decorative plaque - Pablo Picasso

‘Colombe de paix’ -(Dove of Peace) – Picasso

A glass work by  Picasso evoking both the symbolism and imagery of peace through this brilliantly crafted dove relief. Its bright, Lapis Lazuli Blue coupled with its glimmering luminescence when held to the light, allows this bird to truly take flight.

 

 

Picasso painting The Wait

‘L’Attente’ (The Wait), Picasso

1966

 This work is typical of the early Parisian subjects that contributed to Picasso’s paintings.

( Masterworks Fine Art )

 

Picasso abstract painting - Marie Therese

‘Portrait of Marie Therese’  – Picasso

1937

Pablo Picasso painting a charger in his Vallauris studio

Pablo Picasso, Vallauris

1965

( Photo – Edward Quinn )

 

 

 

8 Comments

  1. Anonymous
    Posted January 27, 2013 at 9:40 am | Permalink

    Have a Madoura Colombe-brilliant plate. How do I determine authenticity? Can I get a picture of back of plate showing Madoura stamp?

  2. Bobby Furst
    Posted February 17, 2013 at 10:38 am | Permalink

    I have a 9 1/2 ” round ceramic plate with a black background, green dots, with a simple white line face with devil horns, an open eye, a winking eye( ?), a slight smile, with brown dot checks. On the back, in blue glaze letters it says” Madoura “, the letter ” E “, the letters CR with a half circle through (under) the “R”. It also has an impressed rectangle with the word “Capres” above the word “Picasso”. There is also an impressed symbol in the shape of a mushroom with some indistinguishable writing. Can someone give me any history on this plate? Thanks !

  3. Kim Gallagher
    Posted May 29, 2013 at 8:20 am | Permalink

    I have a plate that has the Madoura signature and stamp on the back. the plate has a rabbit like figure on the front in broad black strokes such as Picasso used in his animal depictions on his pottery in that time period. How do I authenticate this piece? Were all of the works of Picasso signed and numbered?

  4. brian jones
    Posted September 14, 2013 at 2:19 pm | Permalink

    I have a ceramic dish a painted face in center of dish,is a sh has a pie crust border, center of dish is a matt buff base, on reverse of dish is green finely incised, in midle of dish is incised what looks like a pair of handle bars attached to a bicycle seat,or a cows head with horns.

  5. joyce hyman
    Posted April 15, 2018 at 7:55 am | Permalink

    I have a Black and White Pitcher signed Edition Picasso . The inside is painted also with blue and white. The number written on it is 194/300 Do not know much about it.

  6. Helena
    Posted April 26, 2018 at 10:02 pm | Permalink

    Hi there I have had a vallauris jug for over forty years it was bought before the man became famous just woundered if you can help me find more about this it would be very old has some cracks in but was like that when I got it.
    Kind regards
    Helen Gibson

  7. Malcolm Dale
    Posted March 26, 2019 at 11:56 pm | Permalink

    In 1957 I was 17 and saw in Gallery Gimpel Fils a beautiful pitcher with a blue cat painted on it so cleverly; the ears were the pitcher’s ears.
    I asked how much for it and they said “250 guineas”. I always wish I had had the money to buy it and I’ve never seen it again. I said”that’s rather expensive” and then he told me “It’s a Picasso.”

  8. Barbara Volel
    Posted March 7, 2022 at 5:06 am | Permalink

    Beautiful collection – thanks for posting.
    However, must ask why you place Picasso in the field of Abstract Impressionism,since neither term applies to his work.

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