Figures and Cavalier

Original ceramic, Rectangular plaque, made with red earthenware clay printed with engove pad, 1968, Verso are the Madoura Plein Feu and Poincin Original de Picasso stamps. Inscribed in black marker is the reference J. 149 And the edition.
Reference: Alan Ramie “Picasso: Catalogue of the edited ceramic works 1947/1971 (Catalogue Raisonee) reference number 540, Bloch 182
Size: 105 X 165 mms
Note: In a 6 month period in 1968 the artist created 347 etchings - sometimes doing several in the course of a single day. All are dated, signed and numbered. This was a great feat for a man of his age! At the same time Picaso continued to work at Madoura making ceramics. Many of the etchings depict scenes from “La Celestine” which was a 15th century Spanish Classic work and this is one of the few ceramic works which also dwells on this famous production. “La Celestine” was a dramatised novel in 21 acts, attributed to Fernando de Rojas who published it in Burgos in 1499. The plot is a simple one: Calisto is in love with Melebea who spurns him. His butler, Sempronio, suggests he pays an elderly lady called Celestina to act as a go-between and matchmaker. Celestine is a very devious person who does contrive to approach Melebea and create a relationship between the two lovers. Sempronio, however, wants a share of the bribe money and in a quarrel with Celestina, kills her. Calisto falls from a ladder and dies - finally Melebea throws herself from a tower in her fathers house. The grief stricken parent is left alone then to bewail his sadness and misfortune. Picasso was fascinated by the story and when commissioned to create a series of etchings for it worked round the clock to complete them. The finished group of “La Celestine” etchings consisted of 66 pieces. The La Celestine works were a large and important section from the 347 series. In our ceramic work we can see the Calisto and his groom, Melebea and La Celestine”. It is a scene extremely similar to what you will find in the etched 347 series.
Manufactured by: Madoura Potteries, Vallauris, France
Edition: 263/500 (Numbered verso)