Picasso Signed and dated in plate lithograph, part of the school prints series.

Picasso was approached to help give access to post war children to modern art through the unique idea of Brenda Rawnsley and assisted by her spitfire pilot husband, Derrick Rawnsley delivered this superb collection of contemporary art to the Children in post War Britain

Towards the end of the Second World War Brenda Rawnsley and her husband Derek had the idea of bringing contemporary art to young children who would otherwise not have had the opportunity to see ‘good’ work.

Within a few years Brenda had set up School Prints Ltd to sell original lithographs to schools and had commissioned several of the most important living artists for her scheme.

There were 500 set of these originals produced and sold to the schools.

As they were designed to be used as posters in the school art class very few survived.

Picasso was no exception and wanted to be part of the enlightened scheme.

The work is exceptional and typically Picasso.

There is some light foxing and has pin holes in the corner ( not visible in the frame)

The Lithograph is hand signed by the great man himself bottom left and also dated.

The printing was undertaken by the Baynard Press from plates drawn by the artists, who were asked to use no more than six colours. The prints, being original lithographs, were often the first real art seen by young people of that period and are typical of their time.

The Hepworth Museum Wakefield recently undertook an upto date edition and again produced the set a set of contemporary artists work under the School prints umbrella.

Original lithograph.

Lithograph • Signed in plate • 49.5cm x 76.0cm

From the European series.

Published by School Prints Ltd and printed in Great Britain by W.S. Cowell Ltd.