In the 1950s and 1960s, Pablo Picasso collaborated with François Victor-Hugo, a master goldsmith in France, to create a series of gold medallions and platters derived from Picasso’s original designs. These works were deeply personal to Picasso and intended as private treasures, kept hidden from the public and never loaned to institutions, underscoring their rarity and significance.

In 1967, Picasso authorized a limited, numbered edition of each piece for sale. Each example bears the artist’s signature, the François Hugo reference and edition numbers on the reverse, the François Hugo hallmark, and the French assay mark for gold. A single artist proof was also produced, further enhancing the exclusivity of the set.