Venetian Cat Studio( Julia Passamonti-Colamartino)

presents:Italian Maiolica:

History and Techniques

What is Maiolica?

• Maiolica vs. Majolica

Armorial PlateMaestro Giorgio Andreoli

1524

Bernard Palissy French, Paris, about 1550 Lead-glazed earthenware

18 7/8 x 14 1/2 in.

Origins

• Maiolica NOT invented by the Italians

• First examples found in Baghdad, dated to the 9th century (typically blue and white)

Syria and iraq

Lusterware introduced by the end of 11th cEntury

Fritware Plate from Kashan,

Luster, 1210

•The range of color available with luster is from ruby red, to shades of brown, to chartreuse, and lemon.

•Luster was used on plates, bowls, ewers, and tile, and is a decorative technique that is purely of Middle Eastern origin, and not Chinese.

•Kashan lusterware is superior in quality to all others and often features delicately drawn and crowded scenes such as this one, with humans depicted as having round faces and long eyes.

•Textiles are rendered in dense pattern, and every square inch of surface area is decorated. ART 198-History of WorldCeramics

http://www.glendale.edu/~rkibler/kashanplate.htm

Other examples of early islamic pottery

IRAQ, 9th centuryEarthenware, overglaze

polychrome luster painted2 3/4 x 91/2 in. (6.9 x 24 cm)

Northeastern IRAN or Transoxiana, 10th century

Earthenware with white slip covering and decoration in

pigments under a transparent glaze

3 1/8 x 8 7/8 in. (8.1 x 22.5 cm)

Maiolica is Introduced to Italy

• Tuscany had good trade relations with Moorish Spain in the 13th century.

• Large quantities of lusterware were then imported from

Spain via the island of Majorca, hence the term “maiolica”. • Italians start to work with tin-glazed ware, but do not figure

out the technique of lusterware until the 16th century.

• As Italians acquired knowledge and learned the secrets of their art, Maiolica evolved into 3 distinct styles

TRADE ROUTES

http://www.artistica.com

Major Maiolica Centers

From “Marvels of Maiolica” by Jaqueline Marie Musacchio

Maiolica Styles

Archaic• Began around the 14th

century• Timid designs, organic

motifs; animals, plants, or simple patterns

• Colors limited to brown, green, and sometimes yellow

• Forms were mostly utilitarian

Severe

• Began around the 15th century

• Complicated motifs, vibrant outlines and strength.

• Drawing from Moresque designs.

• Identified by highly stylized foliage patterns, scrolled leaf patterns animals, busts and scrolling ribbons.

• Concentric bands of ornament and ‘flat’ drawings were also common to this period

• Colors included cobalt blues and oranges from iron oxide

Beautiful: The Peak of the three styles

• Late 15th and 16th Centuries• Moorish and Gothic modes

gave way to a definite pictorial style

• Themes were illustrated reflecting the new Renaissance interests of the patrons, thus:

• Italian Maiolica was evolving from utilitarian products to articles of luxury and high art.

• Wider range of colors used as well as lusters.

16th century

Giulia Farnese “Giulia Bella”

Beautiful (continues):

• Masks, grotesques, arms trophies, dolphin headed scrolls, flowers, baskets of fruit, winged cherubs, and banners with inscriptions, legendary labours of ancient heroes, biblical references with classicised interiors, trophies and coats of arms, music, portrait medallions, human figures and winged monsters were all motifs of the period. Mastro Giorgio Andreoli di

Gubbio, 1524

A striking example of lusterware

Beautiful (continues):• Lustre (metallic color

created by combining silver and copper oxides) was a difficult technique and only done in a few Italian workshops. This technique was common in Hispano-Moresque ware. The term "maiolica" was originally used in Italy only to describe lusterware. In the 16th century the term became the word for all tin-glazed earthenware.

Mastro Giorgio Andreoli di Gubbio, 1528

Beautiful (continues):• While these three distinct

phases in the development of Maiolican styles can be used to identify the period in which a piece was made it is also possible to identify, roughly, where the piece was produced through the identification of regional styles. In fact with the works of the ‘Beautiful’ period, the styles were influenced by regional schools of painters. The widespread distribution of engravings and prints also contributed to sources of inspiration for painters. This was the way that the works of great masters found their way onto Maiolica wares. Hercules Overcoming Antaeus,

1520

Hercules Overcoming Antaeus, 1520

SomeRegional Styles

DERUTA Situated in the

province of Umbria, this is Italy's largest pottery center and home to more than 250 artisans. Deruta is renown for its Bella Donna plates, a favorite commission of the Italian nobility.

FaenzaA city-state which houses one of the world's most comprehensive ceramic museums. This was the family seat of the powerful Della Rovere Family.

Brusaporci family coat of arms; organic motifs, 16th c.

Ovoid Vase, 16th c

Montelupo FiorentinoMontelupo is located East of Firenze on the banks of the Arno. The work has a light, airy feel and is highly detailed.

Pitcher, 1480-1495

Flask with 4 lugsMedici Lorena family coat of arms between

"raffaellesche"and medallions 16th c

OrvietoKnown for three motifs:

1)Arcaico, a motif based on medieval primitive pottery,

2)Etrusco, copies of Etruscan artifacts left by the Etruscans from this region and

3)Dame plates decorated with court figures. The Orvieto palette was limited to Manganese (a deep purple brown made from Magnesium) and Verde Ramina made from copper (a green oxide found on the church bells) .

Kantharos, 7th-6thc BC

2nd half of 13thc

One-handled Bowl, 14thc.

CastelliLittle known outside of Italy, this town, located in the Abruzzi region has had a long history of production, including:

1)Floor tiles in churches

2) the well known albarello pharmacy jars produced by the House of Orsini Colonna, and

3)“I Turchini"; blue maiolica painted with white and gold luster.

Tile, 16th c, San Donato Tile, 16thc. San Donato

inscribed“DONATA DE”

Castelli Continues

Castelli Continues

Castelli Continues

“I Turchini” Castelli, 17th c

Techniques

• The difference between terra cotta and stoneware

• Firings: 1st, second and 3rd

• Decorating: Iznik (Turkish) vs Italian

Stoneware vs. Terracotta

• Fired at approximately 2300-2350 F, 1260-1285 C

• Clay vitrifies at this temperature, rendering it impervious to freezing and thawing since it is not porous.

• Difficult to produce bright oranges and yellows; red possible using reduction

• Fired at approximately 1840-1920 F, 1000-1050 C (in Italy, firings are a bit cooler; 900-950C).

• Clay porous, good in certain formulations for making cookpots, as pores retain water and moisture for food.

• Low firing temperature allow for bright, clear, vivid colors.

First Firing: 1922 F, 1050C

• Greenware=Unfired

• Bisque =Fired once

Isnik(Turkish) vs. Italian Technique;

Second Firing:1840F, 1005C.• White , refined clay (called

engobe) is applied to greenware.

• Colored engobes, also called “underglazes” are applied over the white engobe to create a design.

• The vessel is bisque-fired.• Clear glaze (glaze =vitrous

particles suspended in water that turn to glass when fired) is applied over the entire piece.

• The vessel is fired a second time at a lower temperature.

• Vessel is Bisque-fired • A solid colored glaze is

applied (white, off-white, blue, or green)

• Colored oxides, sometimes mixed with frit, are applied over the ground

• Clear glaze is applied over the oxides where needed

• Piece is fired a second time• If luster is desired, it is

appled after the second firing, and the piece is fired a third time at appx. 1160F, 630 c.

Tools and Process:Italian Maiolica Technique

• Brushes are ready. These brushes come from Italy and are made of the hair from the inside of a cow’s ear. They are specifically made for decorating maiolica, as are the powdered pigments.

• Colors are prepared by adding water to pigments.

Step 1

• The bisqued piece is glazed with a solid ground color.

Step 2

• The design is drawn in pencil.

• A banding wheel is used to make even lines or “bands” going around the piece.

Step 3

• In this case, the pencil lines are outlined in black oxide.

Sometimes this is done using dark blue, depending on the design.

Step 4: Colored oxides are applied

• Sometimes, clear is applied over the colored oxides, but not always. Care must be taken not to smudge the design underneath.

• Mixing frit (called cristallina in Italian) into the oxides can eliminate the need for a clear coat.

When fired, the colors change

The Finished Pieces:

OTHER WORKS in PROGRESS

Copy of an Iznik Plate, c. 1550

After 5 hours, the piece is ready for firing

The finished Piece:

Details:

A Castelli-Style Solar PlateTime to decorate: 15 hours

The plate is divided into sections with a pencil, ruler and protractor before applying color.

The Process continuesThe yellow rinceau design on the border is very typically Castelli.

Almost finished…

To get the deep intense blue, clear coat had to be applied over the entire plate. Care must be taken not to smear the design.

The finished plate:

14 inch Pasta Bowl

10 inch Bowl

Ivy Pitcher 7 inches tall

Wine Pitcher, 7 inches tall

Wine Sipping Flask, Origin Unknown

Portrait Platters

Wedding Platters

ByzantineOriginal 1180-1220

AD

More ByzantineOriginal 1180-1220 AD

Roman: Samian Ware/Terra Sigillata

Amphorae

Dressel 1C

2nd half to end of 1st c BC

Pompeii VI

1st c BC

Ancient Greek/Minoan

Ancient Minoan

Minoan: “Marine Style” 1200BC

Of course, pottery is great to lay on…

The End

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