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Andalusian Ceramics

SEVILLA

Plato decorado en azul y morado Sevilla.  Siglo XV

Tableware with blue and purple decoration and lustreware
15th and 16th centuries
During the 15th century, the potters of Triana, Seville, who had been active since the Almohad period, produced wares decorated in blue and purple with motifs of Islamic origin – pine cones and fern leaves, concentric bands and zig-zags – and, throughout the 16th century, they made lustreware inspired by the production of Manises, which was characterised by its rough texture and intense golden sheen.

Azulejo de arista Sevilla. Siglo XVI

Cuerda seca crockery and arista tiles
16th century
After 1492, the port of Seville acquired a monopoly of trade with the West Indies. The city grew substantially, and a large number of palaces were built and decorated with arista . This technique, of Islamic origin, consisted of applying a wooden mould to the clay brick while it was still soft. The arista, or edge of the mould, prevented the different coloured glazes from mixing.

Seville potters also made tableware and ornamental objects, which they decorated with the cuerda seca, or dry cord, technique, introduced to the Iberian Peninsula by potters of Persian origin. This technique involves drawing the ornamental motifs in manganese oxide combined with an oily material, to prevent the coloured glazes that were applied later from mixing.

Lebrillo Sevilla. Siglo XVIII

The influence of Italy and China
18th century
Contacts between Seville and Italy had been very active since Niculoso Pisano had settled in the city in the 16th century. He was responsible for the introduction of polychrome decoration with narrative subjects copied from engravings. Later Seville wares show the influence of the blue decoration of Savona.

The influence of Chinese porcelain can also be seen in the polychrome and blue wares of Seville. Plant motifs are distributed in groups around a central medallion, which is always filled with ornamentation in the local taste.

Jarra de la serie de montería Sevilla. Siglo XIX

Ornamental vases and tiles of monteria type
19th century
19th-century Seville ceramics are characterised by their popular style and subject matter. The many hunting and bullfighting scenes gave this type its name.

ÚBEDA

Household ware with tricolour decoration
17th century
Úbeda potters were active mainly during the Golden Age – 15th to 18th centuries – when the magnificent palaces were built that still grace the city today. The decoration of blue and tricolour ware shows strong Italian influence, which is combined with Islamic tradition: profuse ornamentation, radial organisation and concentric bands.

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