PICASSO, PABLO RUIZ

(Málaga, 1881 - Mougins, 1973)

Pablo Picasso: Genius of the Avant-Garde and Driving Force of the Art Market

Pablo Ruiz Picasso (1881–1973) is the most influential artist of the 20th century and one of the central names of the international market. Born in Málaga, he mastered painting, sculpture, printmaking and ceramics, and his work spans every price range, from prints to major canvases. At Durán Arte y Subastas, we appraise and catalogue his prints, ceramics and unique works with the utmost rigour.

Historical Context and Career: Constant Metamorphosis

After training in A Coruña, Barcelona and Madrid, Picasso settled in Paris in the early 20th century. From the melancholy of the Blue and Rose periods he moved on to Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (1907), a founding work of modern art, and to the invention of Cubism with Georges Braque.

He then passed through classicism, engaged with Surrealism and turned the horror of war into Guernica (1937). From 1946 he lived in the south of France, where he worked intensely in ceramics and printmaking until his death in Mougins in 1973.

Technical Guide for Collectors: The Pillars of Picasso at Auction

Picasso's vast output offers very diverse opportunities. These are the keys:

1. Prints: Etchings, Lithographs and Linocuts

Legendary Series: Etchings from the Vollard Suite and the 347 Series, and his colour linocuts of the 1950s and 1960s, are milestones of his market.
Valuation Criteria: We analyse the paper, whether the signature is in pencil or in the plate, the condition of the margins, the edition size and the provenance of each print.

2. Madoura Ceramics

From 1947, at the Madoura workshop in Vallauris, Picasso created plates, jugs and vases featuring goats, fauns, bulls and faces. His editioned ceramics, produced in varying edition sizes, are one of the most dynamic segments of his market. It is essential to verify the stamps and marks, such as "Madoura Plein Feu", "Édition Picasso" or "Empreinte originale de Picasso".

3. Drawings and Unique Works

While his major canvases have reached some of the highest figures in auction history, his drawings, gouaches and mixed-media works on paper appear more regularly and are highly coveted.

Market Value and Cataloguing at Durán Subastas

As an auction house in Madrid experienced in the 20th-century avant-garde, Durán provides the highest guarantees:

• Authenticity of Unique Works: Every unique work attributed to Picasso must be accompanied by a certificate from the bodies authorised by his heirs, through the Picasso Administration.

• Catalogues Raisonnés: We compare prints against the catalogues by Georges Bloch and Brigitte Baer, and ceramics against the catalogue by Alain Ramié.

Frequently Asked Questions for Buyers and Sellers (FAQ)

• How can a Madoura ceramic be distinguished from a reproduction? Editioned pieces bear specific stamps and marks on the base or reverse, and must match the model, dimensions and decoration recorded in Ramié's catalogue. Our specialists examine each piece before cataloguing it.

• Do lithographs signed in the plate have value? A plate signature is part of the printed image and is common on posters and publications. Such works are worth much less than hand-signed, numbered prints.

• Looking to sell or appraise a work by Pablo Picasso? As leading specialists in art auctions in Madrid, we offer a confidential, professional and no-obligation valuation. Request your valuation here.