Made in collaboration with François Victor Hugo and cast in 23 karat gold, the piece was part of Picasso’s effort to create small, wearable sculptures that carried the same spontaneity as his drawings. The gold medallion features a wide smiling face, framed by a playful ring of symbols that resemble an invented alphabet. The features are simplified and almost cartoon-like; two eyes, a long nose, and a grin that curves beyond proportion. There is joy here, but also strangeness, a surreal quality that turns a cheerful face into something more ambiguous. The etched surface catches the light in different ways, giving the smile a shifting presence. With its charm and quiet complexity, the medallion sits somewhere between an amulet and a comedy: lighthearted, but never without depth.

Each piece in the series was produced in an edition of 20, with two artist’s proofs per design, and was cast in a limited edition, signed by the artist, and marked with full assay and atelier stamps. Exhibited individually at Hedonist Gallery, this medallion stands as both an intimate sculpture and a statement of timeless form.