Linked to the history of Nevers, a major faience centre since the 16th century, the main collection is that of ceramics. The largest room in the museum is dedicated to the presentation of this exceptional collection. The very diverse works reflect the richness of the production. The works on display reveal a whole section of the history of an art, an economic activity and also a society : a court art in the 16th and 17th centuries, earthenware entered the homes of the bourgeoisie and then the working classes in the 18th and 19th centuries. Large ornamental dishes, paving tiles, decorated bottles, statues, decorative plaques and atypical objects tell the story of this epic, combining great and small history, technical know-how and art.
In order to allow visitors to immerse themselves in the techniques used in the manufacture of high-fire earthenware, a room presents an educational showcase with objects used in its production. In addition, a video presented by the earthenware makers, still active in Nevers, completes this space. In addition to this collection, there is also a collection of enamelled glass which is unique in Europe. This glass collection is the largest in Europe and comes essentially from the Loynel d’Estrie Collection, deposited by the Louvre Museum in Nevers in 1998.
This uniqueness can be explained both by the number of pieces and by the iconographic diversity. An unusual collection, it allows us to discover this craft that was very popular in the 17th and 18th centuries and which is now lost.