Picasso's interest in ceramics arose briefly at the turn of the century and later, between 1945 and 1973, ran parallel to, sculpture, and engraving. In his sixties, Picasso tackled ceramics again, attracted by the material's potential, by the way its plastic properties allowed him to adapt it to his imagination. A number of skilled ceramists lived near his home in Vallauris, including the Ramie family, whose Madoura workshop produced the vast majority of the Spanish artist's work.

This volume presents 61 ceramic pieces by Picasso that range from unfired clay to ceramics fired at high temperature and porcelain decorated with paint and enamel. All of the works are illustrated in color, including plates, dishes, vases, bottles, and zoomorphic jugs; wall, floor, roof tiles, and fragments of brick handled and metamorphosed by the artist's hand. Also included are pieces that are sculptures in their own right. Some items are enameled or painted, others incised or engraved, while the function of still others was transformed through the magical power of the artist. Picasso succeeded in giving Mediterranean ceramics new impetus, in tune bot his genius and 20th century art.

"This English edition of the catalogue is produced in conjunction with the exhibition Picasso: ceramics from the Marina Picasso Collection at the Tacoma Art Museum, Tacoma, Washington, U.S.A., September 27, 1998 to January 10, 1999"--T.p. verso.

Picasso : a dialogue with ceramics / Kosme de Barañano

Picasso's ceramics : perspectives of seven artists / Eduardo Chillida ... [et al.].