Georges Ramié, Ceramique de Picasso, Paris, 1974, no. 692, p. 277 (numbered edition illustrated)
Georges Ramié, Picasso's Ceramics, Barcelona, 1975, no. 692, p. 291 (numbered edition illustrated, p. 277)
Alain Ramié, Picasso, Catalogue de l'oeuvre céramique édité 1947-1971, Madoura, 1988, no. 117, p. 68 (numbered edition illustrated)
Alain Ramié, Picasso: Catalogue of the Edited Ceramic Works 1947-1971, Vallauris, 1988, no. 117, p. 68 (numbered edition illustrated)

Whether rendered in a single, spontaneous line or sculpted into bold, dynamic forms, Pablo Picasso’s depictions of animals demonstrate both a sensitivity to nature and an instinct for reinvention. The exhibition features a number of unique and editioned pieces that showcase Picasso’s dynamic approach to clay. His ceramic practice flourished in the late 1940s and 1950s at the Madoura pottery studio in Vallauris, France, and was particularly rich with animal motifs.

Canard pique-fleurs (1951) is a striking fusion of animal and human imagery. Shaped to suggest the silhouette of a duck, this vessel is brought to life with an unexpected human element—the face and hands of a woman, inspired by his partner at the time, Françoise Gilot. Employing a combination of black slip and sgraffito, Picasso animated the form with flowing lines that depict the waves of her hair and the delicate features of her resting face. Drawing inspiration from historical ceramic traditions, the vessel’s form parallels Cypriot askoi—ancient flasks with distinctive spouts and handles—while six pierced holes toward its back hint at its intended function as a flower vase.

This works exemplifies Picasso’s ability to animate his ceramic surfaces with the same dynamism found in his use of pencil and oil, the vase captures the soulful duck through expressive yet minimal of line.