• Hidden's owner Chris Kendall delves into Picasso's extraordinary 'Dove of Peace', exploring its profound influence on both Modern art and major world peace movements. Beloved world-wide for its timeless appeal,  Hidden is delighted to hold a collection of historically significant works featuring Picasso's famed emblem of hope.
  • Chris Kendall
    Chris Kendall

    "Peace is a theme that occupies many of our minds right now, as it did for Picasso in his day. The promotion of Peace was Picasso’s pre-eminent political motivation, regularly using his fame to speak at peace conventions and using his art to generate awareness and funds for the peace movement.

     

    His most successful and iconic artistic plea for peace came in the creation of the ‘Dove of Peace’. Composed of just six lines and an olive branch, it is instantly recognisable and known for its simplicity and truth. Created in 1949 for the World Peace Congress in Paris, this powerful image reflected Picasso’s deep desire for a world without war.

     

    Inspired by his personal experiences with conflict, including the Spanish Civil War and World War II, the 'Dove of Peace' became one of the most enduring symbols of the 20th-century peace movement. Traditionally a symbol of hope and renewal and a universal message of nonviolence, the image was widely embraced and reproduced, cementing Picasso’s role not only as a ground-breaking artist but also as a committed advocate for peace."

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  • Pablo Picasso, Colombe de la Paix - Hand-signed, 1961

    Pablo Picasso

    Colombe de la Paix - Hand-signed, 1961

    Signed and numbered in pencil

    Lithograph in colours on wove paper

    Sheet: 49.7 x 64.5 cm

    Edition of 200 on Arches paper and 30 on Japon nacré paper

     

    £25,000

     

    Picasso’s 'Dove of Peace' was such an important symbol within his work that he named his daughter Paloma after it. One of the defining images of 20th century art, its power and simplicity has allowed it to resonate with each new generation. This is one of our favourite variations on the subject; clean, vivid and lighter than air. A true icon for the ages.

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  • Pablo Picasso, Désarmement!, 1962

    Pablo Picasso

    Désarmement!, 1962

    Offset lithograph in colours on wove paper

    Printed signature

    Sheet: 120 x 80 cm

     

    £1,750

     

    Paris in the Sixties: a heady blend of fashion, culture, activism and unrest. Imagine this poster hanging somewhere in the teeming streets, the atmosphere electric and the crowds buzzing. Picasso had joined the French Communist Party in 1944, and his iconic 'Dove of Peace' became an emblem of the international peace movement, featuring on dozens of posters like this one.

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  • Pablo Picasso, Relais De Jeunesse, 1959

    Pablo Picasso

    Relais De Jeunesse, 1959

    Lithograph in colours on wove paper

    Sheet: 31 x 23 cm

    From the edition of unknown size

     

    £350

     

    This lithograph comes from the beautifully realised survey of 102 post-War exhibition posters created by Mourlot in 1959. This example bears an image of the superb composition 'Jeunesse', a lithograph Picasso had made in 1950. A stunning image of fraternity and hope, it is one of the most complex compositions featuring the Dove, and a true classic.

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  • Pablo Picasso, Deuxième Congrès Mondial de la Paix, 1959

    Pablo Picasso

    Deuxième Congrès Mondial de la Paix, 1959

    Lithograph in colours on wove paper

    Sheet: 31 x 23 cm

    From the edition of unknown size

     

    £350

     

    Like the lithograph above, this image belongs to Mourlot’s 1959 survey of post-War exhibition posters. The original poster was created to accompany a congress held by the World Peace Congress in November 1950. Two events were held simultaneously, in London and Warsaw. This bridging of the East and West was intended to highlight the divisions in Europe and promote a pacifist dialogue.

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  • Pablo Picasso, Congrès Mondial des Partisans de la Paix, 1959

    Pablo Picasso

    Congrès Mondial des Partisans de la Paix, 1959

    Lithograph in colours on wove paper

    Sheet: 31 x 23 cm

    From the edition of unknown size

     

    £350

     

    This lithograph also originates from Mourlot’s 1959 survey of post-War exhibition posters. The artwork features an image of Picasso's masterpiece 'Dove', a lithograph created in 1949 at Mourlot's printing studio. This piece was Picasso's first ever 'Dove of Peace', and it was famously used to illustrate the poster of the Paris Peace Congress in 1949. The dove depicted was actually modelled on a pigeon gifted to the artist by his friend and rival Matisse.

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  • Pablo Picasso, Colombe de la Paix (small)

    Pablo Picasso

    Colombe de la Paix (small)

    Lithograph in colours on wove paper
    Printed signature

    Sheet: 36 x 55 cm

     

    £1,250

     

    A smaller variant of the signed example with which we opened the newsletter, this little 'Dove' just goes to show that Picasso’s message of peace suffers no diminution in a smaller format. The image takes flight and continues to spread its message of hope many decades after the artist initially conceived of it.

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