In the summer of 1946 to Vallauris, at the age of 64, Picasso and then lover, Françoise Gilot and companion, Louis Fort attended the annual pottery exhibition in Vallauris. Charmed by the quality of ceramics exhibited by artisans from the area, Picasso would go onto met and befriend Madoura Pottery studio owners, Georges and Suzanne Ramié. Picasso would return to Vallauris in the summer of 1947, and Georges and Suzanne Ramié were very hospitable to Picasso, and even put all their other studio artisans at his disposal. Over the next 25 years Picasso would create over 3,500 plates, vases, pitchers, and other forms. Picasso would work with Madoura Studio until around the time of the artist’s death in 1973.

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Such was his eccentric life; Picasso won a goat in a local French lottery. Pablo would describe at length how he adored this goat, regardless of its unruly behavior. As someone who struggled with formality himself, Picasso may have seen an element of himself in this maverick animal. It is believed that although the goat had arrived in his possession purely by fortune, the artist had desired having a goat as a pet since all the way back in 1904.