{"id":60,"date":"2008-03-02T22:56:17","date_gmt":"2008-03-02T20:56:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thatsarte.com\/blog\/history-italian-ceramics\/loza-dorada-%e2%80%93-the-hispano-moresque-ceramics-and-the-origins-of-italian-majolica\/"},"modified":"2008-03-03T15:10:16","modified_gmt":"2008-03-03T13:10:16","slug":"loza-dorada-%e2%80%93-the-hispano-moresque-ceramics-and-the-origins-of-italian-majolica","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thatsarte.com\/blog\/history-italian-ceramics\/loza-dorada-%e2%80%93-the-hispano-moresque-ceramics-and-the-origins-of-italian-majolica\/","title":{"rendered":"Loza dorada \u2013 The Hispano-Moresque Ceramics and the Origins of Italian Majolica"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Hispano-Moresque<\/a>In 711 a small army of North African Berbers invaded Spain and established an Iberian Islamic culture that would last for over 700 years.<\/p>\n

This event was to make a major contribution to the development of art pottery in Europe.<\/p>\n

Moors were great potters. Their techniques had traveled with them through North Africa to the Iberian peninsula, where they became well established, possibly as early as the 11th century.<\/p>\n

They manufactured elaborate tin glazed pottery and metallic lusters<\/a> which were still unknown in Europe. The success of their ceramics was immediate and soon they began to export them all over Europe.<\/p>\n

Italian people were passionate about Hispano-Moresque pottery.
\nLocal potters had never seen anything like that and wanted to investigate those innovative techniques. Collectors just loved them and ordered celebration plates, apothecary jars and tableware.<\/p>\n

A massive import from Spain to Italy started in the 13th century. Vessels loaded with pottery arrived in Italy after a stop over in Majorca, the headquarter of the trade between Italy and Spain. Indeed, the term majolica by which such wares are now known may come from the name Majorca.<\/p>\n

At the time, the main production area of Hispano Moresque ceramics in Spain was Malaga, situated in the Muslim reign of Grenade, governed by the Nasrid dynasty.<\/p>\n

\"Hispano-Moresque<\/a>The \u201cloza dorata\u201d, the golden amber yellow lusterware from Malaga, was awesome.
\nMoorish potters applied a tin glaze over a design usually traced in cobalt blue. After the second firing a luster glaze made with silver and copper pigments was applied by brush over the tin glaze and the piece was fired again.<\/p>\n

This splendid finish was first experimented to overcome a practical issue: the Holy Qran forbade the use of precious materials on the table. The \u201cloza dorata\u201d looked precious but it was made of ordinary materials (and hard work).<\/p>\n

On January 2, 1492, the last Nasrid Sultan Boabdil surrendered to the Christian Spanish kingdom. That was the end of the Hispano Moresque ceramic production in Malaga. The most important pottery factories moved to Manises, near Valencia, from where they kept exporting their ceramics all over Europe.<\/p>\n

In the meantime \u2013 from the 13th to the 15th centuries – Italian potters had been studying and copying the Hispano Moresque ceramics, which they called majolicas, first strictly meaning lusterware, then tin glazed earthenware <\/a>in general.<\/p>\n

Their technique was improving by the day, laying the ground for the Italian Majolicas <\/a>that became so popular during the Renaissance.<\/p>\n

\"Hispano-Moresque<\/a>We have evidence, though, that at least until the end of the 15th century, Italian collectors still had a special taste for Hispano Moresque ceramics.<\/p>\n

They were a very hot trend in Venice. Nobleman and wealthy merchants ordered celebration plates decorated with their coat of arms and Monasteries ordered tableware decorated with short inscriptions in gothic letters.<\/p>\n

The families who collected Hispano Moresque ceramics must have been very powerful if they could even influence the very strict Import Regulations of Venice: nothing could be imported from abroad but \u2026 pottery coming from Majorca or Valencia!<\/p>\n

The rise of Italian Majolica however was steady and fast. Its beauty and original designs became more and more famous and the import of ceramics from Spain finally stopped in the early 16th century.<\/p>\n

Important collections of Hispano Moresque ceramics are to be seen in many Italian Museums. They are an absolute must for pottery lovers and scholars. A new travel itinerary idea in our beautiful country.<\/p>\n

HISPANO-MORESQUE CERAMICS EXHIBITION<\/strong>:<\/p>\n