Picasso Artwork Identification
We help identify paintings, drawings, prints, ceramics and sculpture using the exact work, medium, dimensions, signature, edition, stamps and documentation.
Catalogue Raisonné Research
Depending on the medium, references such as Zervos, Mourlot, Bloch, Baer and Alain Ramié can help identify documented Picasso works.
Current Market Valuation
We review condition, provenance, rarity, recent comparable sales and current collector demand.
Prints, Ceramics & Paintings
Picasso worked across painting, drawing, lithography, linocut, etching, ceramics and sculpture, and each category can occupy a different market.
Confidential Direct Purchase
For Picasso works we are actively seeking, we may make a confidential direct purchase offer.
Insured Fine-Art Transport
For completed acquisitions, we can coordinate professional packing, insurance and transportation.
What Kind of Pablo Picasso Do You Own?
We evaluate a wide range of Pablo Picasso artworks, including paintings, drawings, gouaches, watercolors, lithographs, linocuts, etchings, aquatints, ceramics, sculpture, complete print suites and other unique or editioned works.
Important identifying details can include the title, date, medium, dimensions, signature, edition number, proof designation, printer, publisher, workshop stamps, provenance and catalogue raisonné reference.
If you are not sure exactly what you own, send us clear photographs of the front and back of the artwork, including signatures, edition numbers, labels, stamps or other documentation.
Picasso Catalogue Raisonné References by Medium
Different types of Pablo Picasso artworks are researched using different scholarly references.
For example:
- Paintings and drawings: Zervos and other scholarly catalogues
- Lithographs: Mourlot and Bloch
- Linocuts: Bloch and Baer
- Ceramics: Alain Ramié, commonly identified by A.R. number
Correctly matching the physical artwork to the appropriate catalogue information can help establish the exact work, edition, date, medium and publication history.
How Do I Research Whether My Picasso Is Original?
Researching a Picasso depends heavily on the medium. A painting, lithograph, linocut, ceramic and etching each require different identifying information and catalogue references.
Important details may include the medium, dimensions, signature, edition, paper, workshop stamps, printer, publisher, provenance and catalogue raisonné reference.
For ceramics, the form, stamps and Alain Ramié reference can be particularly important. For prints, Mourlot, Bloch and Baer references may help identify the exact edition.
If you are unsure what you own, send photographs of the front, reverse, signature, edition information, labels, stamps and documentation so we can begin researching the work.
Should I Sell My Picasso Privately or at Auction?
Both private sale and auction can be appropriate depending on the artwork.
Auction can provide broad exposure for rare or highly desirable Picasso paintings, drawings, prints and ceramics that may attract competitive bidding. However, auction can also involve estimates, reserves, scheduled sale dates, seller-related costs and the possibility that a work does not sell.
A direct private sale can offer greater discretion, more control over timing and a more predictable transaction.
Before deciding how to sell your Picasso, identify the exact work and review its medium, date, catalogue information, condition, provenance, recent comparable sales and current collector demand.
Frequently Asked Questions About Selling Pablo Picasso Art
Where can I sell a Pablo Picasso artwork?
You can sell a Pablo Picasso through a specialist gallery, private dealer, auction house or other established art-market professional. The best option depends on the exact work, medium, period, condition, provenance and current collector demand. We evaluate Picasso paintings, drawings, prints, ceramics, sculpture and other works individually and may make a confidential direct purchase offer for works we are actively acquiring.
Do you buy Picasso lithographs directly?
Yes. We purchase Pablo Picasso lithographs and other original prints directly when they fit our current acquisition interests. We review the exact work, including its title, edition, signature, condition, provenance, printer or publisher information, relevant catalogue raisonné references and recent comparable sales. If appropriate, we may provide a confidential direct purchase offer without requiring an auction consignment.
Can you value my Picasso from photographs?
In many cases, clear photographs are enough for us to begin evaluating a Pablo Picasso artwork. Send images of the front and back, along with close-ups of the signature, edition number, stamps, labels and any documentation. Information such as dimensions, medium, provenance and catalogue references can also help us identify the exact work and assess its current market value.
How do I identify a Picasso ceramic?
Picasso ceramics can be researched using the form, dimensions, decoration, edition information, workshop stamps, inscriptions and catalogue raisonné references. Many documented ceramics were produced with the Madoura workshop, and the reverse or underside can contain useful identifying information. Clear photographs of the front, back, base, stamps and any labels can help determine the exact work.
What does an A.R. number mean on a Picasso ceramic?
An A.R. number is a reference to the Alain Ramié catalogue raisonné of Picasso ceramics. It is commonly used to identify a documented ceramic work and can help establish details such as the title, form, date, dimensions, edition and decoration. An A.R. number helps identify the documented work, but the physical ceramic should still correspond with the recorded specifications.
How do I know if my Picasso print is original?
An original Picasso print should be evaluated using more than a signature or edition number. Important details can include the printing technique, paper, dimensions, edition structure, printer, publisher, provenance and relevant catalogue raisonné references such as Mourlot, Bloch or Baer. The physical work should correspond with the documented edition before it is described as an original Picasso print.
