This original lithograph printed from a zinc plate, Nature morte au Livre, 4.1.1953 (Still life with book) was created January 4, 1953, one of three lithographs created that day.

At this time Picasso's relationship with Françoise Gilot was deteriorating.  Picasso was in Vallauris and spent time creating lithographs of Balzac and daughter Paloma (born in 1949).    More geneological detail is here.  By September Françoise and the two children leave Picasso and go to Paris.  In the same month, Picasso meets Jacqueline.

The lithograph was printed by Mourlot in a limited edition of 50 examples plus five artist proofs.  This is one of the artist proofs and is from the Marina Picasso collection and bears her stamp on the back of the print

Note that the date and Vallauris is printed backwards at the top right of the print.   That is because when a lithograph is made, the drawing on the plate is reversed when printed.  Picasso clearly wrote the village name and date correctly in the plate but was not concerned that the plate when printed would reverse the appearance.

Mourlot was the famed printer at whose studio Picasso spent much time learning and experimenting with the lithographic medium since 1945.  In the next quarter century Picasso had created more than 800 lithographic images. 

Norton Simon purchased more than 220 of Mourlot's Picasso lithographs in 1977.