Picasso Madoura Goat's Head in Profile, 1952

Utilizing clean-cut lines and strong color contrasts, Picasso depicts the elegant profile of a goat. Picasso utilizes crisp, white, green, and black lines to delineate the profile of the goat's head and to add a sense of texture to the piece, conveying the feel of the goat's fur and horns. These lines contrast sharply against the blue background, further highlighting the goat's profile. The goat appears as a delicate figure with a thin neck and elongated face, gazing wisely out at us.

The goat is a re-occurring subject in Picasso's works. As Georges Ramie discusses "there was above all, a very extensive thematic development of bucolic variations: Virgilian countryside's, mythological scenes amid rocks, evocations of Parnassus, piping shepherds and capering goats…A whole episode, in short, devoted to the pastoral serenity of the Aegean, to the incomparable simplicity of a carefree world, steeped in legends of Attic grace and full of the joy of life" (p.168).

Created in 1952, this oblong plate was created with white earthenware clay with decoration in engobes (mat blue, green, ivory, black) under partial brushed glaze. From the edition of 250, this work is stamped 'EDITION PICASSO' and 'EMPREINTE ORIGINALE DE PICASSO' on the reverse.

Catalogue Raisonné & COA:

This work is fully documented and referenced in the below catalogue raisonnés and texts (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoices that will accompany the final sale of the work).

1. Ramié, Alain, Picasso: Catalogue of the edited ceramic works 1947-1971,1988. Another variation is listed as catalogue no. 145 on pg. 80.

2. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this work.