Pablo Picasso and François Hugo, the Work of a Goldsmith

Painting, drawing, sculpture, but also engraving and ceramics… Pablo Picasso tried all media and mediums. Today, however, one side of his varied genius remains little known to the general public: artist’s jewelry, which he also tackled in the 1950s. Like his fruitful collaboration with the Ramié, in Vallauris, it was the result of a joint effort with a virtuoso in the field: François Hugo, great-grandson of the illustrious writer. The adventure began in May 1956 at Villa La Californie, Picasso’s studio in Cannes, during a visit by his friend, the art historian and collector Douglas Cooper… Twenty years later, in the preface to the catalog of the exhibition “Picasso: 19 plats en argent” (“Picasso: 19 Silver Plates”) held at Galerie Matignon in December 1977, the Briton evoked the first moments of this project, as they admired ceramics fresh out of the ovens of Madoura : “These objects gradually directed our thoughts and our conversation towards these opulent repoussé gold and silver platters made in the 16 th and 17 th centuries… Picasso…