Capturing the moment in which the picador stabs the charging bull with his lance, Pablo Picasso ceramic Picador, 1953 A.R. 200 creates an image of action and suspense. The bull rushes forward from the right while the Picador, aboard his horse, appears calm and prepared. He lowers his weapon while, in the background, we view the crowd of onlookers, eager to cheer him on. Picasso creates a perfectly balanced composition in which the height of the action takes place in the front and center. The bull, the Picador, and his horse are all rendered with delicate brush strokes, but there is a visible strength in all of them that is compounded by the dark drown color, more saturated in certain portions. There is just a hint of green in the plate, which comes across to subtly that it seems like a shadow on the figures that the eye can just barely grasp. The light-handed use of the green adds a complexity to the already magnificent work. The dots, lines, and dashes around the lip of the plate serve not only as decoration, but also mirror the circular ring of the bullfight.

Created in 1953, ceramic Picador A.R. 200 is a round plate of white earthenware clay with oxidized paraffin decoration (brown, green, white) in a stanniferous enamel bath from the edition of 200. This work is stamped with the 'MADOURA PLEIN FEU' and 'EMPREINTE ORIGINALE DE PICASSO' pottery stamps on the reverse.

Catalogue Raisonné & COA:
Pablo Picasso ceramic Picador, 1953 A.R. 200 is fully documented and referenced in the below catalogue raisonnés and texts (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoices accompanying the sale of the work):

1. Ramié, Alain. Picasso Catalogue of the edited ceramic works 1947-1971. Madoura: Galerie Madoura, 1988. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 200.
2. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this artwork.