Picasso's La Corrida Ceramic Plates

Between 1947 and 1971, Picasso designed and created a number of ceramic works, including plates, bowls, pitchers, and vases. Many of these pieces feature “La Corrida” designs, exemplifying Picasso’s lifelong interest in Spanish bullfighting. EverGreene was engaged by two private clients in 2017 and 2020 to carry out conservation treatments on their Picasso ceramic plates. Each had undergone accidental damage on two separate occasions. These particular plates are just two of 200 Corrida plates from 1953 and bear the characteristic stamp of the series on their reverse. 

Both plates had broken into large pieces, with additional small sherds from along the fracture. EverGreene conservators in our labs in Washington, D.C. and Brooklyn cleaned the plates and meticulously re-aligned and re-adhered the broken pieces. Small losses were carefully filled with a reversible material and in-painted to match the surrounding surfaces. Once the treatment was complete, the plates were carefully packed and returned to the clients, along with recommendations for its future care, storage, and display.