Picasso was already years into his exploration of ceramic objects when he had an inspired discussion with a friend in the mid-1950s about these ceramics and how they related to precious metal plates by artists in the 16th and 17th century in Venice, France and Augsburg. This led to an introduction to the accomplished silversmith François Victor Hugo, who Picasso commissioned to create a series of platters, dishes and medallions in gold and silver after original designs by Picasso. The artist explored the process for years, eventually creating several plate versions in small editions of 15 to 20 examples each due to the painstaking process of fabrication. The metal had to be heated and reheated while being hammered into a wax matrix, specifically created for each design. Picasso was encouraged by the results and continued to make other medallions and objects in collaboration with the Hugo studio including with François' son Pierre.