A work by the world-renowned artist Pablo Picasso is now on display on Central Whidbey.
A white, earthenware ceramic plate made by Picasso is showing at Rob Schouten Gallery at Greenbank Farm. The ceramic plate is crafted with a raised profile of a goat’s head in green and black on a cream background.
The work is believed to have been created sometime in 1946 or 1947 at the Madoura Pottery Workshop near Vallauris, France.
Picasso’s plate found its way to Whidbey Island through Coupeville resident Katherine Madrone Moulton, whose late parents, Robert and Helen Moulton of Stanford, Calif., had a small art collection and received the plate as a gift from friends.
The plate is for sale at the gallery for $3,800. It was identified by a method known as “Ceramic Editions of Picasso.” Pieces are certified by an edition monogram or a graphic sign that appears on the reverse side of the ceramic piece. The Moulton family Picasso plate was authenticated in 1995.
Rob Schouten, owner of the gallery, helped research the plate and verify it was indeed by Picasso. He learned how and where Picasso made the plates.
Picasso carved the design in wet clay. It was then fired, and the hardened design served as a mold for the finished product. The plate shows the design in relief — raised lines in a pattern typical of the style. The plate was then pressed, dried and glazed before being fired at the Madoura Pottery Workshop.
Schouten said this is the first time the gallery has featured work from so famous an artist. He said he hopes the piece garners a lot of interest from residents on the island.
“If nothing else, I’m hoping the curiosity of having a genuine Picasso on Greenbank will draw curious people to take a look at the piece and the rest of the gallery,” Schouten said.
If the plate is sold successfully the gallery might offer more work like this in the future, he said.
“I do believe there is a market on the island for international artists,” Schouten said.
The piece will be on display through the end of January or until it is sold.
