Canard pique-fleurs (A.R. 117)

Canard pique-fleurs is an exquisite piece from Picasso’s wide and protean ceramic output. Standing majestically at a height of 46 cm, this work experiments with the vase shape to explore the possibilities of the ceramic medium and the curvaceous forms found in the vase silhouette and curved handle. Picasso has depicted a face on the body of the front of the vase with two hands placed on either side as though the figure is holding its head gracefully. The elongated head at the back of the piece creates a visually captivating and unusual profile for the viewer to admire.
The artist has infused life and texture into this work through an array of techniques, including engraving to render certain details: the delicate outlines of the fingernails, the eyebrows, strands of hair and shape of the cheeks and nose. The colour palette is also incredibly harmonious, utilising hues such as browns, deep blues, forest greens and black to recall natural subject matter. As suggested by the title ‘pique-fleurs’, the artist draws attention to the experimental shape of this vase as a flower holder, the spout emerging from the main body of the vase. The reference to the flower vase as a duck – canard – equally conveys Picasso’s sense of humour and the recurring depiction or reference to animals in his multifarious production. High value contrasts between the black and white glaze accentuate the figure’s facial expression; Picasso displays his mastery of cubist-abstract portraiture in ceramic form. Furthermore, the symmetrical resonances and continuous curvilinear motifs throughout the piece tie together to evince the artist’s playful visual language. This piece is part of a relatively small, numbered edition of 50 pieces, marked and numbered as 8/50 on the reverse and prized for its fascinating, even sculptural, silhouette.