While painting in Antibes in 1946, Pablo Picasso discovered a wounded owl with an injured claw. A great lover of animals, he nursed the owl back to health and though it was ill-tempered and bit at his fingers, Picasso developed a particular affection for the bird. The artist had recently begun to experiment with Madoura pottery and ceramics. Perhaps influenced by his feathered friend, he incorporated the bird into many of the whimsical and playful ceramics he would create over the decades that followed. An array of these delightful works are offered in Sotheby's auction Picasso Ceramics Online. Click ahead to see a few favorites.
Picasso Ceramics Online
8–21 June | Online