Pablo PICASSO

You own a work by Pablo Picasso and would like to know what it’s worth? Our experts are here to carry out a free expertise, provide an appraisal and help you sell it at the best price.

Market value, appraisals and prices for works by the artist Pablo Picasso

Price for a painting: 150,000 – 85,000,000 €

Price for a ceramic: 1,300 – 21,000 €

Appraisal for a drawing: 7,000 – 8,000,000 €

Appraisal for a print: 150 – 9,500 €

If you wish to get a Pablo Picasso work appraised, our experts are at your service.

Pablo Ruiz Blasco

The artist was born in 1881 in Malaga, Andalusia (Spain). During several stays in Paris between 1900 and 1904, he discovers the works of French painters the likes of Toulouse-Lautrec, Cézanne and Gauguin. His early paintings, depicting mostly marginal characters such as drunks, prostitutes and cabaret dancers, were undertaken in a state of revolt against social injustice and the plight of the destitute, typical of his Blue Period. He settles for good in Paris in 1904 in the famed “bateau-lavoir” (“washhouse boat”) workshop, where he quickly befriends the poet Guillaume Apollinaire and the painter Henri Matisse who were already living there. Between 1904 and 1906, the so-called Rose Period, he paints harlequins, travelling Bohemian communities (Family of Saltimbanques 1905) and acrobats. Picasso takes up engraving and sculpture (Le fou, 1905) in the early 1900’s and finds inspiration in cultures outside Europe (Two Nudes, 1906).

Picasso and the invention of cubism

The demoiselles d’Avignon, arguably his most famous work, was painted in 1907. It breaks with the established conventions of representation in Western art and marks the birth of cubism which reached its height in 1914. In fact, Picasso’s cubist production cannot be separated from Georges Braques’, at least during the movement’s early phase, as the latter worked very closely with Picasso and created quite similar works. In works such as Factory at Horta de Ebro (1909) and Bread and Fruit Dish on a Table, Pablo uses extremely neutral tones, lending unity to canvases now devoid of perspective, or rather where perspective is multiplied to excess. Around 1913, he switches from analytical cubism, and its highly fragmented compositions, to synthetic cubism where forms become recognizable, and he also starts making collages using newspaper, glass and wallpaper (Bowl with fruit, violin and wineglass 1912).

Picasso’s cubist period per se comes to an end in the 1920’s as he turns to gaudy colours. (The Three Musicians, 1921)

After an appeased time as he settles near the Mediterranean (Pan’s Flute), the artist enters a “barbaric” phase in which transpires his rancour towards women, whom he strived to seduce throughout his life, and the castrating potential he endowed them with. (Women by the sea, 1930)

Guernica, Picasso’s iconic work

In 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, Picasso paints Guernica in homage to a small Basque village bombed by the Germans. This huge painting marks the darkest time in his creative life. 1937 is also the year when he alludes to his relationship with Dora Mar, which was to last ten years. He joins the French Communist Party in 1944 and continues to produce political works such as War and Peace (1952), while also revisiting art history (The maids of Honour, after Velasquez, 1957) and rewriting it until his death in 1973.

The Madoura collection of Picasso ceramics

Between the 1950’s and the 1970’s, Picasso created over 4,000 ceramic works: plates, pitchers, dishes and tripods. Bullfighting was the most common theme, as well as owls and women. As Picasso collaborated with the Madoura pottery workshop, various stamps can be found engraved on the back of the ceramics: “Madoura plein feu”, “Empreinte originale de Picasso”, “Édition Picasso Madoura” ou “Édition Picasso”.

A Picasso Madoura ceramic can fetch anywhere between 1,000 and 20,000 euros. Note that they are much prized by collectors and that it is recommended to have an expert authentificate them as many copies are in circulation.

Recognizing Picasso’s signature

Like many artists, Picasso did not sign all his works. However, a copy of his signature his provided below so you can get a preliminary impression. Variants of this signature do exist. Do not hesitate to contact one of our experts so as to obtain formal authentication of a signature.

Appraising and selling a Picasso work

If you own a Picasso painting or any other work, fill in our on-line form to get a free appraisal. Someone from our team of experts and auctioneers will provide you with an independent estimate of the market value of your picture. Should you decide to sell it, our experts will advise you on the best options to sell it at the best price.