A restless innovator and virtuoso of any artistic technique that he chose to adopt, Pablo Picasso was also a master of work on paper. For Picasso, paper was not just a medium on which to work but a source of inspiration in itself, whether he was tearing up found scraps into charming little figures, working at the etching plate or repurposing reams of unpromising brown wrapping paper into marvellous imaginary portraits. Regardless of the intrinsic value of the medium, he applied the same focus to the subject as if it were a painting or any more substantial material.
Picasso made prints throughout his life: the first in 1899, whilst still a teenager, and the last in 1972 when he was 90 years old. Over the course of his career he made nearly 2,400 prints, using etching, lithography, aquatint and linocut, among other techniques. His partnership with the renowned Parisienne lithography studio Mourlot, saw nearly 400 original artworks produced over two decades from 1945. Many of these works feature amongst the most popular and iconic of his images, such as the Dove of Peace created for the 1961 World Congress on Peace.
We specialise in original Picasso prints because of their enduring appeal and sheer graphic brilliance. Whether he was creating posters to advertise his annual ceramics exhibitions in Vallauris or illustrating books such as Ces Peintres Nos Amis (1958) he never gave less than his best.
The volume of work he produced in the last four years of his life alone is staggering to consider. Carsten-Peter Warncke, in the second volume of his book Pablo Picasso (Taschen 1992), sets out the following statistics: he produced 347 etchings between March and October of 1968; 167 paintings from January 1969 to January 1970; 194 drawings from December 1969 to January 1971; 156 etchings from January 1970 to March 1972; 172 drawings between November 1971 and August 1972, and a massive 201 paintings from September 1970 to June 1972. All were produced between the ages of 87 and 91 before his death in April 1973.
Picasso continued to work fervently on paper throughout this period with no loss of imagination or creativity. In fact one of his most beloved suites of work, ‘Les Portraits Imaginaires’ created in 1969, were feverishly painted onto the brown paper packaging that covered a shipment of art supplies delivered to his home in Mougins. These works recall his formative years and reference the classic portraits of Rembrandt, as if setting out his stall to be considered alongside the master. So pleased was Picasso with the works that he sought out printmaker Marcel Salinas to produce an edition of the 29 portraits. The portraits were painted by Picasso directly onto the lithographic stones in Salinas’s Paris studio and amended and altered by him there. Finally, two editions of 250 hand finished prints were produced, one labelled ‘F’ for the French market and one ‘A’ for America and the rest of the world.
When selecting Picasso’s work for investment from such a vast output, it is important to understand the factors that make one artwork a more attractive prospect than another. First and foremost is the subject matter. Picasso returned time and again to particular themes: nudes, bullfights, doves and mythical beasts amongst many. Consider also the medium: is your preference for etching or aquatint? The artist captured many evocative bullfighting scenes in linocut for example. If you favour bold colours and striking imagery, then you might prefer lithography.
However unless you are intending to focus on a particular theme or medium I recommend choosing a work that, regardless of its subject matter, is immediately and unmistakably a Picasso. This wall appeal will offer you the widest market and best chance of future growth in resale value, should that be your plan. Whether you are collecting for the sheer joy of ownership or as a legacy for family members, adding Picasso to your collection brings interest, delight and a sound investment.
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