The
Castelli majolica
An historycal and artistic synthesis
Castellian
ceramic art, which became famous in the sixteenth century, appears to have extremely antique
origins. It was probably the Benedictine monks,
before the Valle Siciliana feudatories, who first introduced glazed ceramics around the 12th
century.
However, the present centre of Castelli has only
developed as a town, and thus economically, since the fifteenth
century. The early
production of "engobed and engraved" ceramic and the archeological digs carried
out in the drains of the antique kilns confirm the growth of an industrial-type system
which was already widespread in the first half of the 15th century.
The engobing technique, which consisted of a coating of ceramic bisque using
an earthy liquid dough which was then coloured and "graffito"
(engraved), was
soon followed by the majolic production. This differed from the first in that an expensive
glaze was applied to the bisque thus appealing more to wealthy
clients. Right from the
start, the production methods, which combined economy and quality with innovative
techniques, made Castelli one of the most renowned and esteemed centres of the
Renaissance. The use of engobing, for example, under the enamel meant the majolica was
much whiter and consequently less enamel was needed. The particular technique of the
"breathing" oven, recently studied by researchers at the C.N.R.
(National
Research Council), led to a marked reduction in the use of wood because the fumes given
off were used again in the combustion process. The simple but genial solution of painting
only the outward-face of pharmacy pots or others used for show whilst leaving the backs
quickly but effectively decorated halved the time it took to produce
them. Finally, the
plentiful supply of wood, clay and water necessary to mill the stanniferous powder for the
enamel were all characteristic of the economy of a place which,
today, would seem too far
from the markets, cut off from present means of communication and incredibly isolated
amongst the mountains. Nevertheless, already at the beginning of the 16th
century,
Castelli had overcome its phase of imitating Umbrian products and was creating its own
iconographic and morphological collection directed at high level buyers in a European
market.
have extremely antique
origins. It was probably the Benedictine monks,
before the Valle Siciliana feudatories, who first introduced glazed ceramics around the 12th
century.
"breathing" oven, recently studied by researchers at the C.N.R.
(National
Research Council), led to a marked reduction in the use of wood because the fumes given
off were used again in the combustion process. The simple but genial solution of painting
only the outward-face of pharmacy pots or others used for show whilst leaving the backs
quickly but effectively decorated halved the time it took to produce
them. Finally, the
plentiful supply of wood, clay and water necessary to mill the stanniferous powder for the
enamel were all characteristic of the economy of a place which,
today, would seem too far
from the markets, cut off from present means of communication and incredibly isolated
amongst the mountains. Nevertheless, already at the beginning of the 16th
century,
Castelli had overcome its phase of imitating Umbrian products and was creating its own
iconographic and morphological collection directed at high level buyers in a European
market.