Diaulos Player and Faun, 1956; Unglazed white earthenware plate; From the edition of 100; Incised 'R=B101', with the 'EMPREINTE ORIGINALE DE PICASSO' and 'MADOURA PLEIN FEU' pottery stamps on the verso; Size - Plate: Diameter 12 1/2", Frame 23 1/2 x 23 1/2"; Catalogue Raisonne: A.R. 342; Framed floated on a linen mat with a gold wood frame.
During the late 1940s, Pablo Picasso spent the summers on the Cote d'Azur in the South of France. There the artist visited Vallauris for the annual pottery exhibition in 1946. He was impressed by the quality of the Madoura works and was introduced to the owners, Suzanne and Georges Ramié. The Ramiés welcomed the famous artist into their workshop and gave him access to all the tools and resources the he needed in order to work in the medium of ceramics. In exchange, the Ramié family would produce and sell his limited edition ceramic works and this relationship spanned 25 years. It was also at the Madoura factory in 1953 that Picasso met Jacqueline Roque, who would become his second wife in 1961.
Framed "Diaulos Player and Faun" unglazed white earthenware plate.
The Market for Picasso ceramics has been steadily rising as outlined by a recent article:
"Over the past 10 years, the market for Picasso ceramics has steadily grown, with seasoned collectors and new buyers alike vying for Picasso's editioned and unique ceramics at auction. This market is stable, with a steady high sell-through rate around 89% (87% in 2004, 89% in 2005, 87% in 2011, and 90% in 2012), and prices that are still lower than the rest of Picasso's work. The broad range of estimates and sales prices help make this market attractive to many collectors, but also explain the high average sales prices, which are skewed by a few exceptional pieces. In the previous two years, more than 60 exceptional ceramic works sold for over US$100,000: 34 in 2011 and 29 in 2012 (vs. six in 2004 and 2005)." - The Story Behind Picasso Ceramics, by Fanny Lakoubay and Conner Williams, 2013
"Over the past 10 years, the market for Picasso ceramics has steadily grown, with seasoned collectors and new buyers alike vying for Picasso's editioned and unique ceramics at auction. This market is stable, with a steady high sell-through rate around 89% (87% in 2004, 89% in 2005, 87% in 2011, and 90% in 2012), and prices that are still lower than the rest of Picasso's work. The broad range of estimates and sales prices help make this market attractive to many collectors, but also explain the high average sales prices, which are skewed by a few exceptional pieces. In the previous two years, more than 60 exceptional ceramic works sold for over US$100,000: 34 in 2011 and 29 in 2012 (vs. six in 2004 and 2005)." - The Story Behind Picasso Ceramics, by Fanny Lakoubay and Conner Williams, 2013
Close up of the 'EMPREINTE ORIGINALE DE PICASSO' and 'MADOURA PLEIN FEU' pottery stamps.
The famed artist Georges Bloch stated of Picasso’s ceramic works:
"…in
approach, material and technique is as novel as it is interesting.
Pottery, gleaming white discs with relief designs, monochrome or
brightly coloured ovals, dishes and even jugs and vases here serve as
bearers of compositions whose themes express the joyous, life-loving
side of Picasso’s work. They are printed from blocks and stamps
fashioned by the master over a period of more than twenty years in the
Madoura pottery workshop in Vallauris.”
"Diaulos Player and Faun" is a wonderful relief block composition of a double flute (diaulos) player with a faun dancing to the right. The entire ceramic is pale white and the relief allows for the forms to change and morph according to the time of day. This is due to the position of light raking the work, which casts shadows along the uneven surface. This fantastic effect allows the viewer to gradually engage with the piece on multiple levels.
