Talavera pottery has its origins in San Pablo del Monte, Tlaxcala in Mexico, and is only produced here in addition to a few select cities in the state of Puebla, Mexico. The superior quality of the natural clay, made the region suitable for developing the tradition, and has drawn artists since the 16th century.

The production technique was brought to Mexico by the Spanish during the first century of the colonial era. At the time, most pottery was decorated only in bue, but later on brighter colors such as yellow, green and orange were introduced. It was the fine clays in Puebla that allowed for highly developing the production process.

In fact, by the mid-17th century the industry had grown significantly allowing for further advancing the technique. The demand for Talavera had become larger than ever due to the newly established churches and monasteries in the region, leading to what is known as the golden age of Talavera.

Since the Mexican War of Independence in the early 19th century, the tradition saw a sharp downfall, and the number of workshops were reduced to less than 8. However, later during the 20th centry and up until today, collectors and artists have brought efforts to preserve and promote the craft.