{"id":12,"date":"2023-05-23T18:14:03","date_gmt":"2023-05-23T16:14:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thatsarte.com\/blog\/italian-ceramics\/the-difference-between-pottery-ceramics-and-majolica-with-special-regard-to-italian-ceramics\/"},"modified":"2023-11-06T19:33:41","modified_gmt":"2023-11-06T18:33:41","slug":"the-difference-between-pottery-ceramics-and-majolica-with-special-regard-to-italian-ceramics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thatsarte.com\/blog\/highlights\/the-difference-between-pottery-ceramics-and-majolica-with-special-regard-to-italian-ceramics\/","title":{"rendered":"The Difference among Pottery, Ceramics and Majolica, with Special Regard to Italian Ceramics"},"content":{"rendered":"

Italian ceramics<\/a>, or Italian pottery, have been in my life for quite a long time: I collect them, I read about them, I sell them.\"Sicilian<\/a><\/p>\n

In Italian, when I say ceramica, everybody understands what I mean. On the contrary, when I talk with one of my American friends, I\u2019m always uncertain: should I say Italian pottery, Italian ceramics or Italian majolica?<\/p>\n

In order to do away with any doubt, I did some research. I did learn quite a lot on the subject, and I would love to share my findings with you.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with technicalities.<\/p>\n

Here is a short review of the definition of the words Ceramics, Pottery and Majolica.<\/h2>\n

Once we know exactly what we are talking about, we will define what they really mean to people.<\/p>\n

Ceramics<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Ceramic is the most general term. It is derived from the Greek word keramos, meaning “clay”.
Historically, ceramics were prepared by shaping clay, decorating it, often glazing and firing it at high temperatures in a kiln. However, this definition has changed. The term ceramics now refers to a diverse group of materials, including types of cement and glass. While all are fired at high temperatures, clay is no longer a key component of ceramics.
That is why, nowadays, the category ceramics technically includes both pottery and porcelain, which, with their standard formulas, have come to popularly represent quality grades.<\/p>\n

Pottery <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Pottery is an ornamental or functional ware shaped from moist clay and hardened by heat. The type of clay used and the temperature at which it is fired give pottery a different appearance and strength.<\/p>\n

There are three major pottery types.<\/p>\n