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Lot Essay
Pierre Hugo has confirmed the authenticity of this work.
In the early Summer of 1956, Picasso was with Douglas Cooper in his studioreate this and four other free-standing figurines: a at La Califonie, near Cannes, looking at a new group of pâtes blanches platters which had just been delivered from Madoura. Cooper recollects the conversation turning to the 'opulently chased gold and silver platters and dishes of the 16th and 17th centuries, made in France, or Augsburg or Venice, many of which were designed by famous artists'. Picasso declared that he himself had thought how splendid his own platters would look if they were carried out in silver, but he did not know of anyone who could undertake the work. And so, after a few weeks and an exchange of letters and ideas, Cooper introduced Picasso to Francois Hugo. The meeting was to change the latter's life entirely, working for almost no one else for the next few years and eventually moving his family permanently from Lake Geneva to the South of France where he remained and where his son Pierre took up his craft and later the business.
The collaboration, beginning with the commissioning of the platter Le Dormeur (A.R. 343), was to continue for many years and resulted in 19 platters and several more designs which were used to create those jewel-like medallions as well as two habitually humorous centaur sculptures (including lot 53 in the sale). Cooper recalls in his introduction to the 1977 exhibition 'Picasso - 19 Silver Platters', that Picasso, while expressing delight and admiration for every piece and demonstrating great trust and the high esteem in which he held the master goldsmith, he always intended the precious works to be for only himself and his close friends to enjoy. In 1967, Picasso finally gave his consent to Hugo to make, with their joint signature, a small limited edition of each platter for sale to friends who happened to visit his workshop while he was executing them. Even these were rarely seen by anyone before they were finished and shipped to their respective owners. The 1977 exhibition was to be the first time all 19 plates were shown together to a wider public.
In the early Summer of 1956, Picasso was with Douglas Cooper in his studioreate this and four other free-standing figurines: a at La Califonie, near Cannes, looking at a new group of pâtes blanches platters which had just been delivered from Madoura. Cooper recollects the conversation turning to the 'opulently chased gold and silver platters and dishes of the 16th and 17th centuries, made in France, or Augsburg or Venice, many of which were designed by famous artists'. Picasso declared that he himself had thought how splendid his own platters would look if they were carried out in silver, but he did not know of anyone who could undertake the work. And so, after a few weeks and an exchange of letters and ideas, Cooper introduced Picasso to Francois Hugo. The meeting was to change the latter's life entirely, working for almost no one else for the next few years and eventually moving his family permanently from Lake Geneva to the South of France where he remained and where his son Pierre took up his craft and later the business.
The collaboration, beginning with the commissioning of the platter Le Dormeur (A.R. 343), was to continue for many years and resulted in 19 platters and several more designs which were used to create those jewel-like medallions as well as two habitually humorous centaur sculptures (including lot 53 in the sale). Cooper recalls in his introduction to the 1977 exhibition 'Picasso - 19 Silver Platters', that Picasso, while expressing delight and admiration for every piece and demonstrating great trust and the high esteem in which he held the master goldsmith, he always intended the precious works to be for only himself and his close friends to enjoy. In 1967, Picasso finally gave his consent to Hugo to make, with their joint signature, a small limited edition of each platter for sale to friends who happened to visit his workshop while he was executing them. Even these were rarely seen by anyone before they were finished and shipped to their respective owners. The 1977 exhibition was to be the first time all 19 plates were shown together to a wider public.