While best known for his work deconstructing conventional forms in the Cubist movement, Pablo Picasso’s style varied throughout his artistic career. He explored the simplification of figures and compositions, especially in his African-influenced and Cubist periods that persisted into his later works. From 1948-1955, Picasso lived in the small coastal town of Vallauris in the southeast of France. He developed a fascination with linocuts—prints pulled from images engraved in linoleum sheets. He used this medium to produce posters for the yearly ceramics fair, the Exhibition Vallauris, demonstrating his dedication and love for this eclectic town. In this whimsical rendition for the 1958 exhibition, Picasso produces a spectacular composition of detailed silhouettes contrasted with playful primary colors aligned in formal balance.
