This turned pitcher, Little Wood Owl, 1949 is of white earthenware clay, with decoration in engobes, and glaze inside.  The ceramic is from an edition of 200 and is stamped both Madoura Plein Feu (full fire) and "d'apres Picasso limited authentic replica" on the bottom.

It is illustrated in the Madoura catalog as item number 83.

In 1946 during evening walks Picasso became fascinated by owls circling in search of prey.  In the next year at Antibes he rescues and nurses an owl.  Theme owl theme is one that he revisits over many years.

In the spring of 1949 Picasso returned to Vallauris and purchased a vacant perfume factory to store his ceramics.  At the same time he starts collecting discarded and made objects to put them to further use, often as part of sculptures.  Later in the year Picasso concentrates more on sculpture, some with an African motif, and a major publication on his sculptures is published.

On April 19 his daughter Paloma was born, named for the dove of peace.

Her two-year old brother Claude was a frequent subject of Picasso's paintings (often playing with his hobby horse).

It was in 1949 that George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four was published.  Thirty-five years from this Saper Galleries exhibition will be the year 2041!