Picasso ceramic sculptures net €1.21m at Sotheby's

The lot contained 86 pieces, of which the one that fetched the highest price was the pictured white, red and black Gros oiseau visage noir ('Big bird black face'), created by the cult cubist artist in 1951 and selling for 125,000 pounds (€146,250).

Taureau ('Bull'), a clay jar made in 1955 fetched 100,000 pounds (€117,000) – and, in fact, according to Sotheby's, 85% of the pieces went for more than the initial estimated price.

The auction house described the overwhelming popularity and high prices fetched as a 'testimony to the immutable attractiveness' of the works of Picasso, who started experimenting with ceramic pottery in 1947 whilst he was staying in the south of France.

He began working in the Madoura pottery studio in Vallauris two years after World War II ended, perfecting his technique in modelling many different types of figures and discovering new forms of art.

Sotheby's says Picasso 'immediately captured the potential of this traditional art form and set about learning it' as well as 'defying the techniques' of already-established sculptors.

“He recreated these techniques with notable success, and gave them a touch of his characteristic spontaneity,” the auction house explained.

“Picasso's imagination was in perfect harmony with the pliable nature of potter's clay.”