Dec. 20, 2013

Hurry in to Rob Schouten Gallery for a final chance to see a cool piece of art by the great master, Pablo Picasso.

A white, earthenware ceramic plate made by Picasso is on view at Rob Schouten Gallery at Greenbank Farm. The plate was sold Thursday, to a collector from Atlanta, Ga., but remains in the gallery for viewing through Wednesday, Jan. 1.

This extraordinary glazed ceramic plate, one of an edition of 60, is beautifully decorated with a raised design of a goat’s head in profile in green and black on a cream background.

Picasso made the plate some time in 1946 or ’47 at the Madoura Pottery Workshop near the town of Vallauris in Southern France. George and Suzanne Ramie were the owners, and collaborated with Picasso to produce 633 pieces at their studio over a period of 24 years.

The plate’s new owner, Thom Hazlitt of Atlanta, Ga., got the Google Alert on Monday, Dec. 16, that the plate was for sale on Whidbey Island. Hazlitt had previously owned another plate from the edition by Picasso, and said he regretted selling it earlier this year.

“This one looks like it has some variance to me,” Hazlitt said. “The snout is filled in with dark black matte glaze. The one that I had didn’t have that. The catalogue doesn’t show every variant,” he added.

Hazlitt refers to “Picasso: Catalogue of the Edited Ceramic Works 1947 – 1971,” authored by Alain Ramie, the son of the Madoura studio owners.

Hazlitt said that he is hobbyist collector of Picasso’s works. Besides having the Google Alert, he also finds works by trolling eBay (that’s how he bought the first plate) and also keeps a rolodex full of collectors.

The plate is identified by a method that was named “Ceramic Editions of Picasso.” Pieces so edited are certified by an edition monogram or a graphic sign that appears on the reverse side of the ceramic piece.

Hurry over to RSG to see this Picasso plate, with it’s charming Esmerelda goat’s head, before it leaves for Georgia!

Visit Rob Schouten Gallery, for hours and more info.

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