24. THE TRANSFORMATION OF BASIC MATTER of 200º. off byfiringata minimumtemperature resulting formwhen thewaterisdriven them tobemodelledandretain the essential propertyofplasticity, allowing clays and china-clay whichhavethe The basicceramicingredients areball- other rawmaterials. tended toincludeproductsmade from word ‘ceramic’hasbeenvastlyex- Today, however,themeaningof minerals, essentiallysilicaandalumina. transformation, throughheat,ofvarious The ceramicbodyisobtainedbythe mation Ceramic materialsandtheirtransfor- process. due courselearnt howtocontrolthe of thistransformation topotteryandin ena man discovered theapplication Through observationofsuchphenom- sun orfire. substance throughtheactionof clay becomesamoreorlessstable lidifies intoavitreousstructureandthe changed intomagmawhichthenso- In volcanicactivitythemineralsare physically inanaturalorartificialway. Matter istransformedchemicallyor Natural andartificialprocesses 24. THE TRANSFORMATION OF BASIC MATTER dustrial age. equipment varied littlebefore thein- the worldandinworkshops whose invariouspartsof in verysimilarshapes (Mesopotamia) potshavebeen made wheel c.3400 BC,inUruk Since thediscovery ofthepotter’s plements. introduction ofmoresophisticated im- ess ofmanufacturehasvaried,withthe ing –butinthecourseoftimeproc- sic operations–forming,drying andfir- Ceramic productioninvolvesthreeba- Traditional manufacturingprocesses to thesmallestdetail. trol theprocessofmanufacture down industrial techniqueswhichcouldcon- the foundations for the emergence of iour ofceramicmaterialsandsolaid Herman Segersystematizedthebehav- tists suchasAlexandreBrongniartand In thenineteenthcentury variousscien- of chemistryasabranchscience. achievement before therationalization knowledge toreachahighpoint of the lightofexperimentsandempirical century theceramicartdevelopedin From itsoriginsuptotheeighteenth From empiricismtoscience 25. CERAMIC AND CULTURAL EVOLUTION with its‘red-gloss’ surface. notably theubiquitous tery was produced onamassivescale, It isclearthathighqualityRoman pot- edge tobuildcomplexkilns. Iberian Peninsulaandhadthe knowl- troduced thepotter’swheel intothe made bytheIberosshowsthat theyin- At aboutthesametime pottery as amphorae. transported inlargecontainersknown goods suchas wineorpreserveswere outstanding achievement. Perishable the sixthandfifthcenturiesBCarean black-figure andre In theMediterranean worldtheGreek Age. bers, whichgorightbacktotheBronze pottery techniquesstillusedbytheBer- today, anotableexamplebeingthe times theancienttraditionslingeron tory ofsocietyinallitsaspects.Some- its andsocialcustoms–inshort,thehis- liefs, techniques, ideas,everydayhab- The studyofpotteryinvolvesart,be- its development. archaeology andethnology, tochart teristics whichallowus,withtheaidof hadindividualcharac- and civilization niques. Theproductionofeach culture showing differentstylesandtech- with thehistory ofthehuman race, lithic periodanddevelopedinparallel The ceramic artemerged intheNeo- d-figure waresof terra sigillata 26. THE CUPOLA the cartouches. vegetal elementsandtheanimalson used fortheclothing,hair, silver-leafbeing in imitationofmaiolica, bodies andbackgroundsarepainted 1715-1776) using piece-moulds.The cuted byIgnacioVergara (, sculptures inthe spandrels were exe- and touchedupasecco,whilethe 1693-1765) onlimeandsandmortar (Valencia, cuted byHipólitoRovira The paintingofthecupolawasexe- tered the concept. the alterationsof1867completelyal- case. Themutilationofthisstaircasein the eighteenth-century grandstair- the piano nobile, closedoffthewell of The cupola,designedtobeseenfrom History 26. THE CUPOLA a fresco. transparent painting,ascorrespond to we have recovered nished whitesatins,fungusand salts, opaque appearance,displaying tar- verydarkand From adirty,varnished, grim anddirtyvarnish. additional layersandbyastratumof characters becamevisibleveiledby It wasduringthisprocessthatseveral ficial layerswereremoved. layer hadbeenascertained,thesuper- Once thenon-existenceofanoriginal the roofusingdifferentprocedures. points, andtrialtestsweremadeon graphies werecarriedoutatseveral neath, aseries ofmicroscopic strati- termine iftherewasanypaintunder- periods usingdifferentmaterials.Tode- been entirelyrepaintedduringvarious caused thecracks.Thebuildinghad movements ofthebuildingthathave structural humidity filtrationsandtothe throughout theyears,isgreatlydueto which hassufferedchanges major The stateofrestoration ofthebuilding, Restoration a lightcolourful, 27. ROOM OF THE MUSLIM WORLD . potteries ofMálaga,Murcia and were latertospread the fore-runners ofthepieceswhich plish-black andthePersianlustrewares, wares decoratedingreenandpur- ble arethetenth-centurytin-glazed sanitary waresandcandlesticks.Nota- use, dishesandbowlsforuse attable, them arepotsandpansforkitchen from theValencianregion.Among cal oftheHispano-Muslimworld,mostly In thisroomcanbeseenobjectstypi- present day. governed Spanishpracticesuntilthe functional, ofpopularceramics,which lished the norms, both technicaland the arrivalofMuslimswhoestab- rian Peninsula.Recoverybeganwith quality inthepotterymadeIbe- pire, therewasagradualdeclinein the disintegrationofRomanEm- From thefourthcenturyonwards,after The Muslimworld the fame of the 28. MUSLIM WORLD: ARCHITECTURAL CERAMIC terns. shapes (aliceres)toformmosaicpat- cian origin,inlaidwithtilesofvarious den orcourtyardfountain,ofValen- this roomisthethirteenthcenturygar- lowing centuries.Especiallynotablein gave risetoalongtraditioninthefol- potters toarchitecturaldecorationand fundamental contributionofthe Muslim making uparchesandvaults,werea ramic supportsand other elements Tile–mosaic andtiles,togetherwithce- 29. CHRISTIAN CERAMIC. 13 AND 14TH CENTURY of PaternaandTeruel. tery, suchasthecontemporary wares other typesof‘purpleandgreen’ pot- and unglazedwares,aredisplayed room, togetherwithavarietyofglazed though thishasnotbeenproved.In that thetechniquecamefromthere, de Málica documents refertothelatteras decorated inblueandlustre.Legal nese and copper oxide,andthewares green’ wares,decorated inmanga- period arethetin-glazed‘purpleand The richesttypesofpotteryfromthis purposes. and potterywasusedformanynew was introducedundertheChristians, In thiswayagreater varietyofforms by theChristianarmies. of Granadaandother citiesoccupied of immigrantpottersfromtheKingdom Valencian region,but alsotothework after theReconquest,especiallyin workshops which continued tooperate much totheproductionsofMuslim the heirtoMuslimtradition.Itowes The Christianpotteryofthisperiodis (‘Málaga work’),suggesting obra 30. MUDÉJAR CERAMICS OF THE 15TH CENTURY the Trinity. from thefaçade ofthe Monastery of tional exampleistheFlorentinetondo gan tothat timealsopoly be madebent figureofPope inrepresented byth Italy.teenth century,orthoseofTeruel,here Ansome ofwhichdate from thefour- excep-the Valencianwarespaintedinblue, other, cheaper typesofpotterysuchas Contemporary withthelustrewareare example. the shieldofValenciaisanimportant countries. Thelargeflatdishbearing and thearistocracyinmanyEuropean pottery ofManises wasusedbykings joyed everywhere. Inparticularthe daurada production oflustreware,called the importantroleplayedbyhuge age ofValencianpotterybecause of The fifteenthcenturywasthegolden , andthefamewhichiten- e modelledrecum- chrome potterybe- BenedictXIII.At obra 31. MEDIEVAL ARCHITECTURAL CERAMICS socarrats In the Kingdom of Valencia tiles and and tiles Valencia of Kingdom the In ises. ises. Man- of lords family, Boil the of palace the from that and Aguas Dos de lacio Pa-the from those as such bricks, tiles and of up made pavements mentary in- frag- some and shown ceiling-tiles, the clude here examples Important also halls. their decorate to Guilds the emblems their with and tiles commissioned - here display on Magnanimous the Alfonso of those e.g. – devices or arms their with rated deco- Kings tiles commissioned palaces nobles their and For Quart . Manises, and Paterna, in numbers, large in produced were quality high of (large, unglazed ceiling-tiles) ceiling-tiles) unglazed (large, 31. MEDIEVAL ARCHITECTURAL CERAMICS 2 1 3 , 16th Century. CE4/00258 CE4/00258 Spain,16thCentury. Virgin with Child, Saint Vicente Ferrer y Saint Jer Saint y Ferrer Vicente Saint Child, with Virgin Chest.

Armchairs. Armchairs. CE3/01249 Wood, leather. Spain, 16th century? CE3/00430 and 3 CE3/00430 and Wood, 16thcentury? Spain, leather.

2 od lahr n mtli niig San 1t cen 16th Spain, nailing. metallic and leather Wood, 3 1

ome . . Oil on canvas. canvas. on Oil 2 /00431 /00431 tury. tury. 32. ARCHITECTURAL CERAMICS. 16-17TH CENTURIES tions. Muslim, GothicandRenaissancetradi- blend togetherinfluencesfromthe chrome tilesfromTalavera,which from SevilleandToledopoly- Valencia. Alsoshownarearistatiles vanished PalaceoftheCondeReal in “Mar -Pisano” whichcamefromthe in particularthosewiththeinscription made inSpainunderItalianinfluence; some oftheearliestpolychrometiles of Ramón dePerellós.Alsoofnoteare from thepalaceanddisplayarms relief-decorated socarratswhichcame In theceilingcanbeseenadisplayof 33. 16-17TH CENTUTRY POTTERY those ofTalavera. inspired potterydecorators,especially ing themainstylisticinnovationswhich and itsEuropeanimitations,thesebe- with examplesofChineseporcelain play ofItalianpieceshere,together more stronglyfelt.Thereisasmalldis- ian polychromepotterymadeitself On theotherhandinfluence ofItal- tion inthedecorationoflustreware. in 1609,therewasanotablesimplifica- ExpulsionoftheMoors ticularly afterthe In theseventeenth century,andpar- work. wares showtheinfluence ofmetal- decorative motifsfound ontheluxury the reliefdecorationandfussy the-mill wares,whereasthemoulding, dominated, especiallyintherun-of- Gothic andmudéjarinfluencesstillpre- to CataloniaandAragon.Atfirst The Valencianlustretechniquespread 33. 16-17TH CENTUTRY POTTERY 2 1 3 17th Century.CE3/01171 Sideboard. Chest Century. CE2/00735 huntingscene Flemish tapestrywithDianain . Wood. 16thCentury.CE3/00591 Spain, . Wood Spain, tortoiseshelland with bronzeapliques. 2 1 . Wool. Belgium, 17th Wool. Belgium, . 3 34. POTTERY OF THE 18TH CENTURY tions. was Chineseporcelainanditsimita- tion andrangeofforms.Thirdlythere ramic industryinorganization,decora- everyday life,andaffectedthece- taste whichinvadedevery aspect of Genoa. Secondlytherewasthe French Aragon, byimmigrantpottersfrom actually madeinSpain,especially tated inmanySpanishworkshopsbut Italian potterywhichwasnotonlyimi- on potteryatthistime.Firstly,thatof eral therewere threemaininfluences repertoire ofmotifs very distinctivetype,creatingitsown continued toproducelustrewareofa In theAgeofEnlightenment Manises . However,ingen- 35. THE WOODEN CEILING the sixteenth century. lands andfigureddecorationareof teenth century,whilethepaintedgar- and datefromtheendoffour- have tracesofanArabicinscription three boardsexhibited here, which originalperiodarethe ments. Fromthe found ontwentybeams andother ele- from thePlateresque period andis the onenow mostinevidence, dates painted decoration.Theupperlayer, It wasfoundto havethreelayersof providing akindofsupport. In thecourseoftimeitwashidden, Gothic palace. nal buildingwasfoundinawingofthe Part ofawoodenceilingfrom theorigi- 36. THE ROYAL FACTORY OF ALCORA Catalonia andaboveallinTalavera. other Spanishcentres,inAragon and ware. Itsproductswereimitatedin the challenge ofporcelainandcream- ditional potterytechniques,accepting volvement inthetransformationoftra- ideas regarding decoration,wasitsin- contribution ofAlcora, apartfromnew and finallyNeo-Classicism.Themajor Louis XIVstyle,theBaroque,Rococo, decorative fashionsoftheage- evolved, itadopted thesuccessive the wholeAgeofEnlightenment. Asit andindeed the royalmanufactories cated byColbertwhichaffectedall born imbuedwiththeprinciplesadvo- prising potterycentreinSpain.Itwas came themostinnovativeandenter- academy anditsregulationsitbe- the CondedeArandain1727.Withits ing oftheRoyalFactoryinAlcoraby most significant eventwas thefound- In thehistoryofSpanish ceramicsthe 37. 19TH CENTURY VALENCIAN POTTERY with objects fromabride’strousseau. known as‘IdyllicDishes’decorated genre arethevery popularwares to theCastiliancentres.Typicalof Valencian potterslatertookwiththem pieces in ahighlyindividualstyle,which seen in themassiveproductionof bes and Biar, amongothers,isbest workshops inManises,Onda,Ribesal- century. However,thevitalityof the lastdecadesofeighteenth wares inimitationofAlcoradatefrom favour ofpolychromepottery.Thefirst and Manisesabandonedlustrewarein felt intheValencianpotterycentres The influence ofAlco ra wasstrongly 38. TILES AND TILE-PICTURES. POPULAR CERAMICS pictorialism. able technicalskill,butalsoofthenew Academicism, realisedwithremark- provide excellentexamples notonlyof and ‘pictures’ displayedinthisroom Francisco Dasíwhosefurnitureplaques are Rafael Monleón and,especially, Notable representativesofthistrend them inadisplayoftechnical virtuosity. duce on canvas and even improvethe same effectsthathecouldpro- on painter triedtoreproduceinpottery haps inspiredbyRomanticism.The was alsoafashionfor tile-pictures,per- and materialsusedtomaketiles,there only werethemostmodern techniques changes inarchitecturalpractice.Not Seville andMadrid,asaresultof work, especiallyinValencia,butalso nineteenth centurystemmedfromtile- renovation ofSpanishpottery inthe The mostsignificant newideasinthe Tiles andtile-pictures 38. TILES AND TILE-PICTURES. POPULAR CERAMICS and toysondisplayhere. ters madefairingssuchasthewhistles amusements andfiestas,too,thepot- guese ‘encrusted’wares.Forpopular ple theringflasksofSegorbeorPortu- in timebecamearchetypes;forexam- pot ledtoimaginativesolutionswhich tional objectssuchasajarorwater- potteries toothe approachto func- tive spiritoftheceramicart.Inhumbler that producedworkshowingthecrea- It isnotjusttherecognizedworkshops Popular ceramics 39. UTILITARIAN POTTERY OF THE 19TH CENTURY such wares. countries which werefloodedwith market, especially theSouthAmerican aimed attheinternalandexternal utilitarian potteryinMataróandTriana considerable productionofpopular Manises basinsand Besides thisindustri (Pola &Co),Vizcaya(Busturia)etc. (Valdemorillo,1847),Gijón (1804), Seville(PickmanFactory,1841), Factories weresetupinSargadelos earthenware, oftentransfer-printed. that istosayatypeofwhite-firing imitate theso-called‘Bristolpottery’, backing ofinvestors. Theaim wasto production usingmachinery,andthe first timeinSpain.Thetermimpliesmass wasmadeforthe tres, industrialpottery by Manisesand otherValenciancen- made byartesanpotters,popularized Together withthedecorativepottery al potteryandthe dishes therewasa 40. MODERNISM AND 20TH CENTURY TRENDS vivalist Valencianlustreware. the sculptorMarianoBenlliureandre- movement. Alsomodernisticworksby which showthevigour Jugendstil Austrianporcelainbusts In thisroomcanbeseenapairof pottery oftheRomanticperiod. velopments inthepopularutilitarian decorative wares,inlinewiththede- The principalobjectivewastoproduce cuerda seca there wasarevivalofthe ples. InSeville,TalaveraandMadrid themedievalexam- at firstimitating once morebegantomakelustreware, the lastquarterofcenturyValencia system.Asaresult,in medieval guild by WilliamMorris,whoseidealwasthe the ArtsandCraftsMovementinspired of ontheprinciples based both being wake ofModernismandHistoricism, century wasbroughtaboutinthe Valencian potteryinthenineteenth The majorchangeintheaestheticsof techniques. of thisartistic arista and 41. THE KITCHEN shelf above. popular potteryisdisplayedonthe nished withcontemporaryutensils,and nineteenth century.Thekitchenisfur- scenes fromthefirstquarterof turies andtile-panelswithpainted of theeighteenthandnineteenthcen- time. Thewainscotshavepatterntiles lation reflectsmuseum practiceofthe instal- The museum. the of founder the ceived byD.ManuelGonzález Martí, cal Valenciankitchenexactlyascon- The roomisareconstruction ofatypi- 42. 20TH CENTURY potters CumellaandElenaColmeiro. Picasso, andworksby thewell-known cially madeforthismuseumbyPablo a jarwithfigurativedecorationspe- aesthetics. Therealsosomedishesand and innovatorinthenewapproachto School aswellbeingaprecursor mer directoroftheManisesPottery Valencian ceramist AlfonsoBlat,afor- pieces madeinthe1940sby Outstanding inthisroomisthegroupof divorced fromits traditionalfunction. trinsic aestheticqualityandsobecame The ceramicbodywasusedforitsin- dividual pottersfollowednewpaths. In thetwentiethcenturyworkofin-