Stephani Stephenson on sat 13 sep 03
Hi Janet and all
yes , for many years I thought terra cotta referred to a
'red' clay only. This is reinforced by the fact that if you
order a 'terra cotta clay from your clay supplier, it is
likely to be red, (but not always, Laguna Terra Cotta
Sculpture, for example is not an orange or red firing clay,
whereas it's Red sculpture body is. )
In America , a very common use of 'terra cotta' is in
everyday commerce, and refers to the 'terra cotta flower
pot', the simple red clay flower pots we see everywhere.
It was only in learning about the history of architectural
'terra cotta' and also the use of 'terra cotta ' with
regard to the tradition of clay sculpture ,(also referred
to as 'terra cottas'), that I became familiar with other ,
more expanded definitions, which I now choose to use.
My reading indicates that some pigmentation, from iron and
other minerals , is usually present, and part of the
character of terra cotta claybodies. Many historical
examples of 'architectural terra cotta' are in fact brown,
buff, tan, or gray...
and yes, this is largely from the sources describing
American Architectural clay in the late 1800s through the
1920s....though the term also refers to decorative terra
cotta facades of 15th C. Italian architecture, the term
spreading to describe similar scale work, in other areas
of Europe.
Note: The heyday of architectural ceramics production in the
United States was fueled in good part by the work of
skilled Italian immigrants who brought their terra cotta
working techniques with them. Who knows? maybe the term came
here that way too.
.....so this is the definition, the slice of the pie, I am
familiar with, which is not to say there aren't many other
slices as well!
Also, the term 'glazed' terra cotta brings to mind the work
of della Robbia workshops, usually described in books as
'glazed terra cotta.'
Of course, to complicate matters, David Hamilton, in his
British published book, 'Architectural Ceramics, defines
Terra Cotta as any unglazed earthenware, and 'faience' as
glazed earthenware. He mentions a company which calls hand
pressed facings 'terra cotta' and all mechanically pressed
ones 'faience'.(????) I have never heard this definition
before!!
Hamilton also concurs that a terra cotta clay need not be
red burning, but says that the fact that red burning clays,(
which are often buff clays with extra iron added), are the
most popular for these uses, thus the term has gradually
become one applied to red clays, though mistakenly, in his
words.
In architectural applications, the color of unglazed terra
cotta was often keyed to the color desired for the building,
and also the body had to be one which could remain constant
and repeatable for the duration of the project, often very
large scale. In architectural terms, terra cotta can also be
glazed.
Overall, the term still means, baked, burned, or cooked
earth and it seems like it is one of those terms which is
applied differently depending on locale, era, and particular
area of application and craft.
Some other sources I use are:.
1. Fingerprints of the Artist ,European Terra Cotta
Sculpture from the Arthur M.Sackler Collection, especially
the introduction written by Dr. Charles Avery of the
Victoria and Albert museum in Great Britain, and Lois Katz,
curator of the Sackler collection, an American collection of
European Terra Cotta Sculpture. The sculptures in the book
are of many hues, including some light buffs to deep browns.
2. Architectural Terra Cotta of Gladding McBean, by Gary
Kurutz, especially introduction by Susan Tunick, founder and
president of "Friends of Terra Cotta", a non profit
organization . Also New York Skyline by Tunick and Peter
Mauss
3. Susan Tunick's writings are also found in many other
publications, including similar definition and history of
'terra cotta', found in 1987 summer issue of Studio Potter.
Stephani Stephenson
steph@alchemiestudio.com
Marta Matray Gloviczki on sun 14 sep 03
thank you stephani,
it`s early morning here in minnesota, and i already learned
some important new things about terra cotta, thanks to you!
in two weeks i am going to be in italy --YES! -- and i have
to practise how to say terrrra cotta in the italian way...
you also mentioned 'faiance' and i just learned, that this word
comes from the name of the very city i am going to visit: FAENZA.
(that`s not FIRENZE (Florence) but sounds similar.)
Faenza has a famous and important international ceramics museum,
where they have different exhibits on every floor.
one of them is "the golden age of majolica: italian ceramics
from the 15th to the 16th century from the collections
of the hermitage museum".
---i visited the hermitage long ago, when it was still in leningrad... now
it is in st.petersburg, russia...---
that will be interesting and i will see plenty of terra cotta,
i promise i will use all what i learn here on clayart!
thanks,
marta
Stephani Stephenson wrote:
> Overall, the term still means, baked, burned, or cooked
>earth and it seems like it is one of those terms which is
>applied differently depending on locale, era, and particular
>area of application and craft.
=====
marta matray gloviczki
rochester,mn
http://www.angelfire.com/mn2/marta/
http://users.skynet.be/russel.fouts/Marta.htm
http://www.silverhawk.com/crafts/gloviczki/welcome.html
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