La Céramique Espagnole, du XIIIè siècle à nos jours

This was the title of the exhibition held at the Palais Miramar in Cannes between 15 February and 22 April 1957. It was also a major event for the city of Barcelona because of what it would mean for the future of its ceramic collections: sixteen pieces donated by Picasso, and the seeds of the inspiration for establishing the Ceramic Museum.

The exhibition showcased a selection of the best Spanish ceramics from the mediaeval period up to the 20th century. All the pieces came from top Spanish museums with ceramic collections: the González Martí National Museum of Ceramics in Valencia, the Museus d’Art de Barcelona, the National Museum of Decorative Arts in Madrid and the Madrid Municipal Museum, as well as from artists and private collectors.

The existence of the catalogue, in which all the exhibits are listed, together with the loan file from the Museus d’Art de Barcelona with the list of the items that were loaned, has enabled us to locate the works in the collection that were exhibited in Cannes, and make a selection of them to try to recreate what Picasso saw, and the profound impression it made on him.