On Tuesday, July 2, HRH Princess Caroline of Hanover inaugurated the restored underwater ceramic decorations by Roger Capron in the Galerie des Salines.

Originally created in 1968, Capron’s work consists of twenty-nine enamelled terracotta panels depicting stylised visions of the Mediterranean seabed, complete with fish, algae, and crustaceans. These panels were initially installed on the facades beneath the Larvotto promenade.

During the Larvotto beach restructuring, which began in September 2019, a significant conservation-restoration project was undertaken to remove, restore, and reinstall the twelve remaining panels. This effort was led by the Nouveau Musée National de Monaco (NMNM) in collaboration with the Department of Cultural Affairs, the Heritage Institute, the Department of Public Works, and the Reserve – Collection Management.

Roger Capron, born in 1922 and trained at the École des Arts Appliqués in Paris, was instrumental in the post-war revival of ceramics. He established his own factory in Vallauris in 1952, blending artistic vision with industrial processes. Capron’s notable works include pieces for the Cannes maritime station and the Byblos in Saint-Tropez. He received numerous accolades throughout his career, including the gold medal at the 10th Milan Triennale in 1954, and his contributions have been celebrated in several exhibitions, including a major retrospective in 2003 at the Musée National de la Céramique in Sèvres.

Featured image courtesy of Communication Department – ​​Manuel Vitali: Roger Capron Salines – HRH the Princess of Hanover surrounded by Patrice Cellario, Government Councilor-Minister of the Interior, Françoise Gamerdinger, Director of Cultural Affairs of Monaco, Björn Dahlström, Director of the NMNM and Philippe Capron, son of Roger Capron.