Pablo Picasso (1881–1973), *The Blue Face*, 1950

color lithograph and collotype, paper, 29 x 24 cm;
depicts a reproduction of the ceramic plate “The Blue Face” by Pablo Picasso

The print is from the portfolio “Ceramics by Picasso,” published by Albert Skira in Geneva in 1950. Foreword by Suzanne and Georges Ramie.
The 1950 portfolio originally contained 18 color plates featuring Picasso’s ceramics, though some editions may contain 13 or 15.

These prints are prized for their faithful reproduction of the glaze’s luster and the color palette of the artist’s original ceramic works. They are die-cut in the shape of a plate and are often referred to as “tipped-in” “applied” (hand-glued onto a 377 mm x 277 mm page backing).
The prints are usually published on vellum paper and measure approximately 15 x 11 inches.

Picasso’s ceramic plates, created primarily between 1947 and 1971 at the Madoura studio in Vallauris, France, constitute a significant portion of his 633 designed ceramic works. These works often feature iconic, hand-painted and engraved motifs, including bullfighting scenes, faces of women and men, mythological figures, and animals such as owls, fish, and birds.