So. you just bought a beautiful hand pencil signed Linocut numbered 29/50 from a reputable gallery. It is a Pablo Picasso. The lot was cataloged as “After Pablo Picasso Signed Linocut” and sold for a hammer price of $1,200 against an initial estimate of $10 – $5,000. Well done!
The paper size of 12.5″ x 14.75″ precisely match the dimensions of the historic 1962 book edition Picasso Linogravures. This portfolio was published by Editions Cercle d’Art in Paris and printed by Gerd Hatje in Germany.
Original Picasso linocuts regularly command between $5,000 and over $100,000 at auction.
After cross-referencing, the original 1959 large-format lifetime edition printed by Arnéra was restricted to 50 signed impressions. However, the smaller 1962 book blocks were used to publish thousands of unsigned book plates.
Furthermore, a private COA for this item likely uses the term “Original Linocut” because the print was pulled from the authorized 1962 reduced-size linoleum plates, distinguishing it from an offset poster or digital photocopy or later digital reproductions.
After inspecting the “Picasso” signature under a 10x magnifying loop, it sits cleanly on top of the paper surface in graphite pencil.
The physical attributes you are observing mean that you likely possess a genuine, historic 1962 linocut print pulled from an actual hand-carved linoleum plate where the ink actively sits in raised, tactile relief layers on the heavy paper. In cross-reference your print dimensions with the official Picasso Bloch
Catalog Raisonné; a signature on the smaller 1962 linocut would violate his own edition records and dilute the value of the 1959 original. So, it would be considered an arguable Picasso’s signature. Hence, the value of the piece lies entirely in the 1962 ink and paper, not the ‘pencil markings’.
How the Market Values the Pencil Markings
- The Zero-Premium Rule: In the professional fine art trade, unverified pencil signatures and conflicting edition numbers (for example “29/50” on a 1962 Pablo Picasso Linocut) add $0.00 in value. Experts and subsequently high-priced art collectors disregard the pencil markings and calculate the price solely on the merit of the 1962 paper and ink.
- The Risk Factor: If a seller tries to pass a piece like this off as a lifetime-signed $50,000 Picasso, it is treated as a major compliance issue. However, when cataloged conservatively as “After Pablo Picasso” (as an reputable auction house would properly do), it functions cleanly as a high-end authentic decorative asset.
So, did I buy a Picasso?
Yes, it is physically and historically, a Picasso, but with a very important art market distinction.
To understand exactly how to define it, it helps to separate the image from the pencil writing:
1. The Print is a Picasso (100% Authentic)
The physical artwork—the paper, the linoleum plate, and the thick, tactile ink—is a genuine 1962 Pablo Picasso linocut.
- It was printed using the exact plates Picasso hand-carved (scaled down by 42% with his official permission) for the landmark 1962 Picasso Linogravures portfolio
- It was printed by master printer Gerd Hatje under Picasso’s authorized supervision.
- Because it came directly from Picasso’s physical blocks, it is completely correct and legitimate to tell anyone viewing it, “This is an authentic 1962 Picasso linocut.”
2. The Pencil Markings are Not Picasso
The hand-written pencil signature and the “29/50” edition number are arguably not by Pablo Picasso’s hand.
- Picasso never signed or numbered the standard 12.5″ x 14.75″ sheets from this portfolio.
- These markings were added over the dry ink later by an aftermarket dealer or gallery to make the small 1962 print represent his rare, larger 1959 museum editions.
The Final Verdict
If you are asking if you own a cheap photocopy or a fake poster: No, you own a real, historic 1962 Picasso Linocut print. Frame the beauty!
If you are asking if you own a rare masterpiece that Picasso personally held and signed with his own pencil: No, you own a 100% Picasso supervised, authorized, authentic, unsigned mid-century linocut plate.
Congratulations! It is a genuine 1962 Picasso artwork; it carries representative Picasso signature. You bought a beautiful piece of legitimate art history. You possess a genuine, historic 1962 linocut!
**By the way, the sweet spot for Picasso’s right now is 1955-1969. Original and Authorized Linocuts, Lithographs, and Posters are what you need to be on the hunt for…