Janet Kaiser on sat 13 sep 03
That is an interesting take, Stephani. Thank you. However, I have
never seen or heard anything but red clay referred to as
terracotta by contemporary artists, potters, suppliers,
gallerists, curators or authors and if Karen is working on an
English language version of a catalogue/artist's statement for
her exhibition, I think she would be ill-advised to describe any
other coloured body as "terracotta", as it would cause some
confusion, don't you think?
As the word "terracotta" refers to a low-fired *unglazed* clay
body as used in plant pots, sculpture (including architectural as
you mentioned) and even tiles, it may be completely inappropriate
for describing her work even if she is working in what is listed
as terracotta clay by her supplier?
Maybe some US manufacturers did call other colours "terracotta"
in their catalogues, but it was possibly a reference to the
unglazed state, rather than the colour clay used?
Glazed pots made with a similar clay have never been referred to
as terracotta as far as I know, except for some functional work
which was only glazed on the inside and even then it was still
more likely to be called earthenware or redware. Any "terracotta"
tag would refer to the colour only, if at all, which I personally
doubt. The decoration or finishing process was used to describe
other pots made in what was essentially a red clay instead
(maiolica, delft, slipware, etc.). The domestic "peasant pottery"
of countries which used local clay (usually red) is referred to
as earthenware, lead-glazed or whatever and not terracotta
either. Not in English English anyway... YMMV in the USA or
elsewhere...
We now have the added problem of "terracotta" also being used to
simply describe the colour of reddish brown which is currently
fashionable in other products, especially furnishings, textiles
and clothes. So I believe contemporary use of the word in
ceramics should be confined to an unglazed red body as used to
make sculptures, models, tiles, plant pots, finials... the
low-fired garden and architectural ware most people are
conversant with and can easily recognise.
Even what could be described as the world`s most famous ceramic
work supports this "definition": the Terracotta Army! (BTW when I
win the lottery, I shall invite all my friends in Clay Town to
join me on an all-expenses paid pilgrimage there... :-)
But you have got me thinking about the validity of this... Ah,
here in World Ceramics by Robert J. Charleston, the one and only
reference to Terra Cotta in the index is on page 314... (funny, I
always thought it one word...) Let me see... in the USA section
of this great book (wish they would republish it ALL in full
colour)... Here it is... "Teco pottery of Terra Cotta, Illinois,
also ..." Oh! A whole town called Terra Cotta! Wow! Apparently
important during the Art & Craft movement in the USA... Does
anyone know more? What about these days?
And in Julian Barnard`s book on Victorian ceramic tiles which I
am reading at the moment, his glossary states: "Terracotta --
sculpted ornament, fired at a relatively low temperature and used
in architectural decoration. It is red-brown and had no glaze or
coloured pattern". In the Concise Oxford English Dictionary a
slightly loser definition is given, "Terracotta: unglazed usu.
brownish-red fine pottery used as ornamental building-material
and in statuary, pottery, etc.; statuette of this; its colour
(It. terra cotta -- baked earth)"
BTW terra means earth of course, but cotta is from the Italian
"cottura" - meaning baking, cooking or stewing... Cotto / Cotta
can also mean head over heals in love! :-) Cotta (noun) is a
surplice apparently, according to Mr. Collins...
Sincerely
Janet Kaiser -- now wondering what tortured path and linguistic
development led to kotzen (meaning to spew) in modern German... I
suppose "stew" may have been the link... Ugh! School dinners...
Yes, I can see how, even if the etymologists think differently...
*** IN REPLY TO THE FOLLOWING MAIL:
>Terra Cotta is not limited to describing red clay bodies or
>objects made from them.
*** THE MAIL FROM Stephani Stephenson ENDS HERE ***
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