Pablo Picasso, 'Visage de femme' (Face of a Woman), Red Earthenware Plaque

This item is a square-shaped red earthenware plaque from the Madoura workshop in Vallauris, France, featuring a relief design by Pablo Picasso. The central motif depicts a stylized female face with flowing hair, rendered in raised, linear terracotta. The plaque is unglazed, showcasing the natural light-terracotta or reddish-orange clay body. Surrounding the central face are several symbolic stamps or 'marques d'atelier' commonly found in Picasso's ceramic oeuvre, including an eye, a sun-like circle, and geometric motifs. To the lower left of the face, there is a handwritten date inscription in the clay, '13.3.71', indicating it was designed or conceived on March 13, 1971. The bottom of the plaque features a series of vertical incised lines reminiscent of a comb or fringe. The craftsmanship utilizes the 'empreinte originale' (original print) technique, where a mold created by Picasso was used to press the design into the wet clay. The condition appears excellent with no visible cracks, chips, or major abrasions, though some natural variations in the clay color and minor surface dust are present. The edges are softly rounded, and the overall construction is thick and substantial, typical of the late-period collaborations between Picasso and the Ramié family at Madoura.