This map indicates the migration route of majolica.
Early - Pre-Italian
“Majolica” had its beginnings long before its name. It is
believed to have been introduced into Italy in the 14th century by merchants
from the island of Majorca who acquired the ware from Hispano-Moresque
sources in southern Spain and northern Africa. It is a common belief
that the term Majolica is derived from the name of the island, however
another scholarly belief is that it came from the Spanish phrase obra
de Malequa – referring to the work produced in the potteries of
Malaga, Spain. When first produced in Italy, the designs and motifs
of the majolica ware were very derivative of the Hispano-Morseque ware
from that region of Spain..
Before focusing on the Italian development of majolica, we must first
look to the east, at the early ceramics developments in the Islamic
world. Between the 9th and the 13th century A.D. in what is now modern
day Iraq, artisans re-discovered (archaeological artifacts indicate
that tin-glazing was done by the Assyrians some three thousand years
ago, but the art was lost for several centuries.) and refined the technique
of tin enamel glazing, a development which is considered to be the most
important Islamic contribution to ceramic history. This technique involved
adding tin oxide to clear glazes to opacify the glaze, creating a white
“ground” which was suitable for decoration with a variety
of metal oxides. This directly lead to the development of majolica in
Italy and thoughout northern Europe.
Ancient Islamic artisans are also credited with developing the technique
of sgraffito (scratching through colored slips to create designs on
the surface of the clay), the use of colored glazes, and the development
of lustreware.
Islamic potters, migrating from the middle east to southern Spain, brought
thier recipes, techniques, and designs with them, establishing a flourishing
pottery industry, particularly in the cities of Malaga and Valencia,
from the 9th throught the 13th century. (The years of Muslim occupation
in southern Spain) The small contemporary town of Manises,
just outside Valencia, Spain continues to produce pottery for exportation.
The heralding trademark of this pottery is the highly developed use
of lustres. Pottery using this surface decoration, as well as on-glaze
(later to become known in Italy as majolica) technique, was greatly
prized by Italian nobles. Italian potters coveted the formulas, and
the secrets of the lustre technique were not introduced into Italy until
the 15th century. Even then, only a few knew them. (LINK -Gubbio, Maestro
Giorgio Andreoli) This was probably due, in part, to the knowledge which
was carried from the Spanish-Moorish potters to Italy, as they fled
Catholic persecution in Spain.
Italian
Though there had been a ceramics tradition in Italy for centuries BC,
as evidenced by the redware
of the early Romans, the Eutruscian “bucchero”
and the terra cotta
figurative sculptures, majolica in Italy, didn’t really appear
until the 15th century. Before that, very simple decorated, tin-glazed
ware was produced in Sicily and parts of Italy, but was not known as
majolica. It was actually the early years of the Italian Renaissance
in the Tuscany region that realized the advent of classical Italian
majolica. It is interesting to note that, even though we refer to majolica
as any tin-glazed decorated ceramic, in Italy it was not until the 18th
century that this broader definition was used. until that time majolica
only referred to the lustreware. Renaissance ceramics production in
Italy was influenced by trade routes, availability of local materials
(clays, metal oxides and fuel for firing), and, very importantly, patronage.
Some towns in Italy came to the craft later than others because of these
factors. For example, Montelupo, outside of Florence is now an important
current and historical center for Italian majolica. The potteries of
Montelupo were patronized by the Medici family of Florence. However,
their ultimate success as trade ware was late in coming to Montelupo
because of the long battle for the trade route between Florence and
Pisa, Livorna and Siena. In the mid 15th century, Florence gained access
to the sea ports and serious production, for trade as well as the tables
of the Florentine nobility, began.
Nearly every major majolica-producing town had a ruling family patron,
during the time of the Renaissance. Stylistic decoration on the ware
was often specific to the family crests of these patrons. Other stylistic
decorations reflect an influence that trade with the Far East, particularly
in the Veneto area, had on the local Italian potters.
Though there are specific decorative elements which place historical
majolica ware within Italian regions, there is a general evolution of
Renaissance majolica which shares very similar techniques and motifs
from region to region.
Historical Evolution/Periods of Italian Majolica
Development
|
||
| Archaeic Period (medieval) | mid 13th to 15th Century | Green and brown simple decoration geometric and abstract designs, lead glazed common ware |
| Severe Style | early Renaissance | Phase 1. Verde
(1425-1450) Zaffera in relievo (1430-1460) Italo-Morseque (1450-1480) |
| Phase 2. Floral
Gothic (1460-1490) Oriental designs of peacock feather (1460-1495) persian palmettes(1475-1500) porcellana styles (1487) early Renaissance influence (1500) |
||
| First Istoriato | approx 1500-1525 | Transition to the more typical Italian themes, using figures, allegorical themes, bella donna – early figurative phase, grottescas |
| Second Istoriato (or stile bello) | 1515-1540 | lustres, imitation of luster |
| Third Istoriato (stile fiorito) | 1540-1580 | Raffaellesca, embossed ceramics |
| Compendium Style | phase 1. transition to white 1550-1560 phase 2. white and polychrome |
|
| Eclectic Style | 1600’s | dark blue and white polychrome chinese influence |
| Italian Styles | 1700’s | early 1700’s(1st 30 yrs): country ornamental design the new istoriato, a revival of patterns from the Eclectic school, and also imagery influenced by Raphael paintings |
| Esoteric Styles | later, through the end of the 1700’s | imitating Chinese and German porcelain influenced by Dutch and French ceramics JNeo-Classiapanese influenced German and Indian floral design imitations |
| Neo-Classical Style | last quarter of the 1700s | |
In the early Renaissance, majolica ware was available
to the affluent middle class as well as the noblemen. It was an affordable
way to have beautiful tableware & decorative objects for the home.
The height of the Italian Renaissance majolica is reflected from the
works of the 3 Istoriato phases.
By the Third Istoriato phase, Italy was in High Renaissance. Decoration on the ceramics was strongly influenced by the Italian Renaissance painters, and the Istoriato plates, oversized and elaborately painted, were meant only for artistic decoration. The ware from Urbino was particularly beautiful, due in part, to the dynasty of 3 generations of masters of Urbino.
From the Compendium through the Neo-Classical periods (now out of the historical Renaissance), there was a growing influnce on decorative styles from other countries. The ware shifted away from elaborate decorative wall tondos to all manner of tableware.
The Della Robbias
It is important to also take a look at what the Della
Robbia workshop was doing during the period of the Italian Renaissance.
The Della Robbias, a family of sculptors specializing in ceramic sculpture,
spanned 3 generations of artisans. The most famous of the Della Robbias,
were Luca, the elder (1399-1482), Andrea, nephew of Luca (1435-1525),
and Giovanni, son of Andrea (1469-1530). Benedetto Buglioni (1459-1521)
and Santi Buglioni (1494-1576) were two important and highly skilled
artisans who also worked in the Della Robbia workshop. One cannot visit
any major church or city in Italy and not find Della Robbia sculpture.
It's imbedded in building facades, in churches, and in the museums.
Luca Della Robbia was very aware of the majolica artisans and used the
their formulas and techniques, as did his nephew and grandnephew and
other artisans in the workshop, on the sculptures they created.
The Della Robbias were members of the Guild of the Masters in Stone
and Wood, and were heavily commissioned by the Medici Family and the
Vatican. The workshop was located in Florence; thus many existing Florentine
structures today display Della Robbias in their architecture. The National
Museum of the Bargello in Florence offers an extensive, comprehensive
collection of the work from the Della Robbia workshops.
Jump to some Della Robbia images!
