Glazed Ceramics in Cultural Heritage

Résumé 0

The presence of clay objects is one of the foremost symbols of the onset of technology associated to art. Initially decorated with incised, molded or modeled elements, with different colours of clay and pigments, the objects became increasingly sophisticated. The introduction of a glaze amplified the options for more refined decorative solutions, including in architectural integration. But it was with the spread of the majolica (or faïence) technique, low fired tin-glazed earthenware originally developed in Eastern Islamic countries, that Europe developed its most iconic ceramic productions. In the 15th century potters perfected the production of this specific kind of glazed ceramics and from the kilns of Italy it disseminated to the Low Countries, France, Spain and Portugal in waves of influence that would determine the European ceramic profile. If porcelain is what defines the oriental productions and characterizes the sophistication of the Chinese and Japanese societies, majolica represents the more down-to-earth approach to life that characterizes the aesthetical advancement of European societies.