This intricate etching, Portrait-charge d’un des personnages de L’Enterrement du comte d’Orgaz, en larmes, forms part of Picasso’s celebrated “347 Series” — an extraordinary sequence of 347 prints created in just seven months in 1968 at his studio in Mougins. These works represent a summation of his lifelong dialogue with the art of the past and his playful, often irreverent reinterpretation of art history.

Here, Picasso pays homage to one of his great heroes, El Greco, reimagining the figures from The Burial of the Count of Orgaz (c.1586), which had long fascinated him during his visits to the Louvre. Executed with dense, vibrant linework, the composition merges 16th-century solemnity with Picasso’s signature wit and distortion. The subject — a nobleman in tears — becomes both a parody and an act of reverence, reflecting the artist’s complex relationship with the Old Masters.

The “347 Series” was printed by Crommelynck Frères and published the following year by Galerie Louise Leiris, Paris. Only 50 signed impressions were produced, making this a particularly desirable example from Picasso’s late period, when his graphic output reached remarkable levels of energy and invention.

1. Late-Master Period with Strong Market Growth

Our etching belongs to Picasso’s 347 Series — a monumental suite of 347 etchings and engravings executed in 1968 when the artist was 86 years old. The series represents a lifetime of technical mastery and intellectual playfulness condensed into one creative outburst.

In recent years, the art market has begun to revalue Picasso’s late period (1960s–early 1970s), recognising its extraordinary innovation. Collectors who once focused on the Blue, Rose, or Cubist periods are now expanding to these later works, which display equal brilliance with far smaller supply. Prices for signed etchings from this period have risen 30–50% in the last decade.

2. Rarity and Prestige

Only 50 signed impressions of this plate were produced, with an additional 17 artist’s proofs — a far smaller edition than earlier print series like Sueño y Mentira de Franco (edition of 850) or La Suite Vollard (edition of 260). Works from the 347 Series are collected by major museums worldwide, including MoMA, the Musée Picasso, and the Tate. Because so many are now institutionalised, fine-condition signed impressions such as this have become scarce on the private market.

3. Historic and Cultural Depth

This etching is particularly desirable because it pays homage to El Greco, one of the artists Picasso most admired. That direct art-historical dialogue adds intellectual and curatorial weight, making it more appealing to serious collectors and museum buyers alike. The inclusion of parody, self-reflection, and Old Master references positions it within Picasso’s final exploration of legacy — a key narrative for collectors focused on late works by major 20th-century artists.

4. Market Comparisons and Pricing Outlook

Comparable prints from the 347 Series have achieved £6,000–£12,000 at auction in recent years, depending on condition, subject, and provenance. Some of the more erotically charged or art-historical plates have exceeded £15,000–£20,000. At our asking price of £5,500, this work sits at the lower range of fair market value — leaving room for appreciation.

Given the combination of rarity, strong provenance (Galerie Louise Leiris), and current collector interest in late Picasso graphics, this etching carries excellent long-term stability with moderate-to-strong appreciation potential (5–8% per annum) over the next decade.