To obtain and buy authentic Picasso works on paper without spending “stratospheric” sums, collectors should focus on specific Verve magazine issues containing original lithographs, specific illustrated books (livres d’artistes), and high-quality authorized interpretation prints (pochoirs). Most are highly collectable and are very much in demand. Here are some pointers.…
1. Essential Verve Issues (Original Lithographs)
The French art magazine Verve, published by Tériade, is a primary source for authentic Picasso prints. For these issues, Picasso collaborated directly with the master printers at Mourlot Frères to create original lithographs specifically for the publication. Look for:
Verve No. 19 (1948) – Picasso: Couleur de Temps: Contains original lithographs, including a striking cover design.
- Verve No. 25/26 (1951) – Picasso à Vallauris: Features very highly desirable original lithographs capturing his postwar ceramic era.
- Verve No. 29/30 (1954) – Suite de 180 Dessins de Picasso: Widely judged as the “holy grail” of Picasso Verve issues. It comprises of 16 original color lithographs printed by Mourlot. If you buy the issue be aware that many copies on the market have had these 16 lithographs cut out.
2. Notable Portfolios & Interpretation Prints (“Pentitures”)
If you are looking for what are often colloquially or phonetically referenced as “pentitures” (likely a blend of peintures / paintings and interpretation prints), Picasso authorized master artisans to replicate his paintings, gouaches, and sketchbooks using incredibly complex, manual techniques. These are hand-crafted prints that reinterpret an original work of art (like a painting) in a different medium.
- La Flûte Double (1967): A portfolio of 15 amazing pochoir/lithograph interpretations of Picasso’s drawings, produced under Picasso’s supervision by Daniel Jacomet.
- Le Goût du Bonheur (1970): A famous portfolio replicating Picasso’s intimate 1962 sketchbooks. It utilizes a highly refined, textured screenprint process (Dietz-Offizin) that simulates grease crayon and charcoal with shocking fidelity.
- Faunes et Flore d’Antibes (1960): Is another elite portfolio of Jacomet-produced pochoirs that are limited to small edition sizes.
3. Tipped-In Sheets vs. Original Graphic Works
Tipped-In Sheets are plates that are lightly glued onto a backing page inside a book. Pre-1970 there were some of superb quality. But there are critical characteristics that must be must checked and verified:
- Commercial Bookplates: Most vintage Picasso books from publishers like Thames & Hudson (1955) or Polígrafa (1969) contain high-quality, offset-lithograph color reproductions. While beautifully vintage, these are mass-produced commercial reproductions, not original graphic art, and are generally worth under $50–$200. But they are very nice and frame beautifully.
- The Signature Trap: Be wary of individual tipped-in sheets or bookplates sold online with “hand-signed” pencil or blue ink signatures. Although he did sign some of these, Picasso’s signature is heavily forged, and sellers have been selling the less expensive book plates as high-value pieces.
- True Original Book Plates: The authentic plates are the exception in books where Picasso carved the actual plate. For instance, the 1962 and 1967 linocut books (Picasso Linogravures) published by Harry N. Abrams contain true, authentic linocut plates reduction-printed at a smaller scale. These are very highly collectible original graphic works. There are signed Linocuts available. But again, do your research. Nevertheless, these plates are very desirable. Signed or not.
4. Collector’s Checklist for Authenticity
- Check the Catalogue Raisonné: An authentic print or book issue must be documented in official reference catalogs, such as Georges Bloch (for prints), Brigitte Baer (for etchings), or Cramer (for illustrated books).
- Verify the Paper: Original prints from portfolios will feature high-quality wove or laid paper, frequently bearing watermarks like Arches, Rives, or Vellum. Mass-produced bookplates are usually on standard heavy commercial paper.
- Buy the Full Book When Possible: To guarantee authenticity, buy the intact, complete Verve volume or portfolio if you can. It’s difficult to do. Because the isolated sheets may be challenging to verify once separated from the publisher’s colophon page, but not impossible.
- If you find a signed print: Find provenance. It would be rare. So have it authenticated. The Picasso Estate can only provide real certification. But there are qualified expert Picasso professionals that can give you a signed written report or letter.
Picasso Ultimate Graphic Works, Presentation, & Valuation Matrix
| Presentation Category | Legendary Publication Examples | Physical Format, Binding, & Plate Style | Print Medium Type | Collectibility Status | Market Liquidity & Demand | Major Risk Factor | Single Sheet Price | Intact Set / Volume Price |
| Elite Loose-Leaf Portfolios | • Céramiques de Picasso (1948, Albert Skira) • Picasso: Peintures 1939–1946 (1950, Éditions du Chêne) | Gray/beige cardboard folding box (chemise) with cloth ribbons. True Collectible Tip-Ins: Images delicately glued at the top edge only onto heavy, artist-grade cardstock. | Premium chromolithography, photogravure, or dense letterpress. | High (Highly prized mid-century artisan portfolio sheets). | High. Immensely popular with interior designers and framing specialists because the loose presentation leaves edges undamaged. | Condition issues; loose plates are frequently found with foxing, edge tears, or missing original boxes. | $100 – $500+ | $1,500 – $4,000+ |
| Fine Art Periodicals | • Verve No. 29/30 (1954, “Suite de 180 Dessins”) • Verve No. 25/26 (1951, “Picasso à Vallauris”) | Softcover magazine format with a fragile paper spine. Original lithographs are bound directly into the text block and double-sided. | Original Lithographs pulled directly from the stone by Mourlot Frères. | Very High (True, lifetime original graphic works). | Very High. Highly transactional across major online auction spaces. Intact volumes move rapidly. | The Gutted Volume: Many copies on the market have had the original lithographs cut out, leaving only the text. | $150 – $500+ | $1,000 – $2,500 |
| Master Interpretation Portfolios | • La Flûte Double (1967, Au Vent d’Arles) • Faunes et Flore d’Antibes (1960, Éditions Pont des Arts) • Le Goût du Bonheur (1970) | Oversized, luxurious linen- or cloth-covered clamshell box. Loose, standalone sheets of heavy, thick handmade or elite rag paper. | Elite Pochoir, hand-layered screenprint, or artisan lithography. | Very-High (Authorized, precise master-artisan works). | Medium High. Highly sought after by advanced print collectors looking for large-format, frameable display pieces. | The Original Trap: Misrepresented online by deceptive sellers as original lifetime drawings, gouaches, or paintings. | $300 – $1,200+ | $3,000 – $6,000+ |
| True Illustrated High -End Books (Livres d’Artistes) | • Picasso Linogravures (1962, Harry N. Abrams) • Picasso: Toros y Toreros (1961, Cercle d’Art) | Large-format hardcover books with a sturdy cloth spine and dust jacket. Graphic prints are bound securely into the stitched signatures. | Scaled Original Linocuts or original lithographs pulled from artist-cut blocks. | Very High (True lifetime original graphic art in book form). | High. High-end galleries frequently buy complete volumes, cut the pages out, frame them individually, and sell them at a premium. | Posthumous reprints; later uncredited editions or cheaper modern laser-reprint copies passed off as 1960s originals. | $300 – $900+ | $2,500 – $5,000+ |
| Commercial Monographs and Books | • Picasso (1955, Wilhelm Boeck / Thames & Hudson) • Picasso: Blue and Pink Periods (1960s, Skira/Rizzoli) | Standard, mass-produced hardcover reading books with tightly glued commercial spines. | Mass-produced commercial offset lithography / machine printing. | Low (Decorative only; not recognized as original fine art). | Low. Readily available worldwide. Holds decorative value only and does not appreciate over time. | The Signature Trap: Sellers buy these less expensive sheets, add a false pencil signature, and sell them for thousands. | $10 – $150 | $50 – $450 |