Talavera Potters in History

There were a number of potters in sixteenth-century Puebla who were originally from the Spanish city of Talavera de la Reina: Gaspar de Encinas and son, as well as their in-law, Diego Gaytan. Though the birthplace of certain potters has yet to be determined, in some cases their last names correspond to families of potters in Puebla.

	 Talavera Jar w/ Butterflies

In the seventeenth century eight Spanish potters were identified (four of whom were orig­inally from Seville, two from Cadiz, one from Barcelona and the other from Galicia), as well as a potter from Portugal and two from Italy. Some emigrated at an early age, completing their apprenticeship in Puebla with established pot­ters, as was the case of Damian Hernandez who studied under Alejandro Pessaro in 1601; and Miguel Perez who studied under Sebastian de Villardel in 1609, both of whom later became important potters in their own right.

Others arrived in Puebla already trained in their craft and consequently influenced the shape and design of ceramics in Puebla, including potters such as the elder Gaspar de Encinas, Alejandro Pessaro. Juan Rodriguez de Herrera, Juan Bautista SalomOn, Antonio de Vega, Diego Gaytan, Jose Escoto, Sebastian de Villardel and Diego Salvador Carreto. No Spanish potters have been identified since the eighteenth century. Those identified were originally from Puebla though they consid­ered themselves Spanish, that is, chaos. There were also potters who identified themselves as “dark-skinned” or mestizo. Its important to em­phasize the Ordinances which, in fact, deter­mined that only Spaniards could take the exami­nation which would afford them the title of mas­ter potter, even though workshop artisans and servants were mostly indians, mulattos and blacks. By the late eighteenth century, mestizos and mulattos were eventually allowed to qualify for this examination.

On August 5, 1652, “light and dark skinned” pot­ters from Puebla gathered and authorized Diego Salvador Carreto to ask that the viceroy establish examinations and publish Ordinances “determin­ing the conditions, grievances, obligations and circumstances required for the benefit of the craft.” Viceroy Luis Enriquez de Guzman, Count of Alva de Liste, answered the petition and issued an order addressed to the mayor of Puebla ask­ing him to arrange a meeting so that potters could elect an inspector and two deputies to write the Ordinances.

Article excerpt from Artes de Mexico Magazine – June 1992

 

Mexican Pottery is the Pride of Mexico

Talavera PotteryWe live in a world where technology, Internet and LCD screens are everyday conversation. But some people like to take us a break and enjoy the simple things that have been with us for many centuries. In Mexico we are very proud of our Mexican pottery called Talavera.

The pottery was used by our ancestors for everyday use, but also as part of their religious rites. So we can find a wide variety of ways, because although they could be used to bring water, were also placed proudly in the center of the ceremonies that took place.

An authentic pottery is made entirely by hand, using techniques that our ancestors discovered and that even today are passed by tradition from grandfather to childs. While today are manufactured in serie the fake ceramic, for do a real ceramic is required about a month of work.

Clay usually used for processing, so we can ensure a very strong product that will stand the test of time. Originally this material was used to keep water cool, then before the intense heat of this country, they had a way to maintain a good temperature this vital liquid.

The crafts used for daily use are usually brown, keeping the color of the earth. But for decorating the home is unusual to keep that color, it is common that is decorated with colors that give it new life.

There are different types of Mexican pottery throughout the country, each region has its own style that characterizes it. For example, there Talavera Puebla, which is valued worldwide for its beauty and level of complexity in their development.
If you come to Mexico, you can visit the many states out there. Everyone has their own style, so you probably end up finding something according to your tastes and needs. We have crafts of all sizes and colors for your home.

In conclusion, in Mexico we are very proud of our ceramics. Has a unique globally which is prized by people who know art. Do not be fooled by imitations, the real is reality by craftsmen who are still using ancient methods.

7 Ways to Distinguish an Authentic Versus a Fake Talavera

Authentic Talavera Ginger JarAre you interested to own and have been looking for genuine Talavera products?  How would you know that the products offered by online distributors, and offline dealers and retailers are really authentic? Beware of imitations!

Talavera is a tin-enameled earthenware, Majolica pottery made and comes only from Puebla, Mexico, and its nearby communities of Atlixco, Cholula and Tecali.

This world-renowned hand-painted pottery is notable by a milky-white glaze. It comes in different forms, including both functional and decorative pieces such as plates, serving dishes, vases and tiles.

Here are some characteristics of genuine Talavera pottery:

Talavera is made from a mixture of only two clays, a dark clay and a light, slightly rose-colored clay.

The source of clay supply to make the Talavera comes from the Talavera geographic zone of Puebla and the communities of Atlixco, Cholula and Tecali.

Talavera is hand formed with a potter’s wheel or using molds, not poured. They are also hand-painted.

Talavera pieces have gone through two firings. The oven used to fire Talavera should be at least 800 degrees Celsius.

Talavera uses six color pigments, and its color combination enhances the workmanship sophistication of Talavera pieces.

The Talavera item is created by certified workshops in the state of Puebla Mexico using the traditional Talavera process.Workshops producing authentic Talavera are certified by passing an inspection and verification process at least every six months. The Mexican Talavera Regulatory Council regulates the production of Talavera and restricts the use of the term to items produced within the designated zone of Puebla. There are only less than 20 certified workshops producing genuine Talavera.

Certified Talavera pieces bear the signature of the potter, the logo of the workshop and the special hologram that certifies the piece’s authenticity. Only pieces from workshops that meet the standards are certified.

You can buy Talavera in many shops and throughout places in Mexico and globally. Some workshops also offer tours where you can see how it is being made.

There are also a number of shops now that offer non-certified and authentic but still high quality Talavera products.

Authentic Talavera is costly, as every piece is one of its kind and of excellent quality. However, imitations may be as pricey and seemingly unique. You need to be extra careful that your money is really worth the Talavera item you have with.

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Go From Bland To Unique With Mexican Tile For Your Home

Authentic Talavera TileMexican tiles mainly get their inspiration from the culture and history of Mexico. You can find many different types of tiles that all have a specific, unique design on them. The options that you have are limitless, as long as you have enough room for that much tile. With the options that you have, you can either go for hand painted and crafted, or you can purchase them factory made. The factory made tiles are generally less expensive than the hand crafted tiles.

The most popular type of Mexican tile are the ones that are hand crafted, although you also have the option of purchasing factory made tiles. The tile is generally a terracotta tile or ceramic tile that is painted with a unique Mexican design. There are many different types of Mexican tiles, although the most widely used are the hand painted ones such as Talavera tiles.

Mexican Tiles That Are Hand Crafted

You might be wondering what is so special about hand crafted tiles. First of all, you will be receiving a unique style that could never be produced in a factory setting. When you choose to go with hand painted tiles, you are buying something that has so much beauty and character that a factory could never compare. The design that is painted on the tiles depends on culture.

The greatest advantage that you will get from using Mexican tile in your home is the ability to capture the Mexican culture. This is the main reason why hand painted and hand crafted Mexican tiles are so desirable. You can use their design to bring out the rustic Mexican heritage in your home.

Talavera Mexican Tiles

Talavera tiles are considered the most popular type of Mexican tile that there is. These are the tiles that have bright designs and colors that you would find in bathrooms, sinks, kitchens, stairs and backsplashes. When placed together, these ceramic tiles can come in geometrical and symmetrical designs that can create amazing patterns.

The most interesting fact about these tiles is the reasoning behind their design. These tiles are meant to have small flaws, which helps to bring out their rustic appearance and setting. The color of the finish or paint may have small imperfections that help to bring out the Mexican design and culture. The most common size of these tiles is 4×4, but they have also been seen in larger and smaller sizes.

The most amazing thing about using Mexican tiles is that to some extent, the designs and colors will never be the same as another set of tiles. They are unique in their own way and show just how artistic the Mexican culture is. Even if you purchasing plain, solid colored Mexican tiles, they are still able to capture the rustic heritage of Mexican’s. It doesn’t matter whether you are searching for the right type of hand painted tiles, Talavera tiles to use in your sinks or on your walls, or you would prefer Saltillo tiles to use outdoors for your patio, you will be able to capture the Mexican culture in your home.

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Travelling Talavera Exhibits

Several temporary and travelling Talavera exhibits of certain themes have been created from these permanent collections. One of these was called “El Aguila en la Historia de Mexico” (The Eagle in the History of Mexico). The forty-two-piece exhibit was sponsored by the Senate of Mexico to show how the eagle symbol has been used in the country throughout its history. This exhibit was sponsored in honor of the Bicentennial of Independence in 2010. These ceramics were chosen because of their combination of art and utility. Eagles depicted include that of Mexico’s coat of arms, as well as those of political figures such as José María Morelos y Pavón and Porfirio Díaz, and those used by institutions such as the Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico and the Mexican Senate itself.

Authentic Talavera TileAnother exhibit in Mexico centered on the creation of maps using Talavera tile. Most tiles during the colonial period were decorated with flowers and landscapes but a significant number were painted to create murals with maps. Those that survive show how a number of cities developed over the colonial period. Eight of the most representative 16th-century Talavera tile maps were at the El Carmen Museum at an exhibit called “Cartografia: Una Vision en Talavera del Mexico Colonial” (Cartography: A Talavera Vision of Colonial Mexico). This exhibit was of reproductions of the originals created by the Talavera de la Luz workshop in Puebla. The chosen maps show the development of Mexico City as well as representations of the Acapulco, Puebla and the Tesuco regions during this time period.

Exhibits have been held outside of Mexico as well. The Museum of the Americas in Spain held an exhibit called “Talaveras de Puebla, Cerámica colonial Mexicana. Siglos XVII a XXI” (Talavera Pottery of Puebla, Mexican colonial ceramics, XVII to 21st centuries). This was a temporary exhibit of 49 pieces, combined with pieces from Spain and China as references. The pieces were loaned by the Franz Mayer Museum and the Bello Museum.

Talavera Production

The process to create Talavera pottery is elaborate and it has basically not changed since the early colonial period when the craft was first introduced.  The first step is to mix black sand from Amozoc and white sand from Tecali. It is then washed and filtered to keep only the finest particles. This can reduce the volume by fifty percent.  Next the piece is shaped by hand on a potter’s wheel, then left to dry for a number of days.  Then comes the first firing, done at 850 °C (1,560 °F). The piece is tested to see if there are any cracks in it. The initial glazing, which creates the milky-white background, is applied. After this, the design is hand painted. Finally, a second firing is applied to harden the glaze. This process takes about three months for most pieces,  but some pieces can take up to six months.MH453a Talavera

This process is so complicated and plagued with the possibility of irreparable damage that during colonial times, artisans prayed special prayers, especially during the firing process.

Some workshops in Puebla offer guided tours and explain the processes involved. The oldest certified, continuously operating workshop is in Uriarte.  It was founded in 1824 by Dimas Uriarte, and specialized in traditional colonial-era designs. Another certified workshop, Talavera de la Reina, is known for revitalizing the decoration of the ceramics with the work of 1990s Mexican artists.

Hand Thrown Talavera from Mexico

Talavera Plates from MexicoTalavera:  all pieces are hand-thrown on a potter’s wheel and the glazes contain tin and lead, as they have since colonial times. This glaze must craze, be slightly porous and milky-white, but not pure white. There are only six permitted colors: blue, yellow, black, green, orange and mauve, and these colors must be made from natural pigments. The painted designs have a blurred appearance as they fuse slightly into the glaze. The base, the part that touches the table, is not glazed but exposes the terra cotta underneath. An inscription is required on the bottom that contains the following information: the logo of the manufacturer, the initials of the artist and the location of the manufacturer in Puebla.

The design of the pieces is highly regulated by tradition. The paint ends up slightly raised over the base. In the early days, only a cobalt blue was used, as this was the most expensive pigment, making it highly sought after not only for prestige but also because it ensured the quality of the entire piece. Only natural clays are used, rather than chemically treated and dyed clays and the handcrafting process takes three to four months. The process is risky because a piece can break at any point. This makes Talavera three times more costly than other types of pottery. Because of this, Talavera manufacturers have been under pressure from imitations, commonly from China,and similar ceramics from other parts of Mexico, especially Guanajuato. Guanajuato state petitioned the federal government for the right to share the Talavera demonimation with Puebla, but, since 1997, this has been denied and glazed ceramics from other parts of Mexico are called Maiolica or Mayolica.
Today, only pieces made by designated areas and from workshops that have been certified are permitted to call their work “Talavera.” Certification is issued by the Consejo Regulador de la Talavera, a special regulatory body. Only nine workshops have so far been certified: Uriarte Talavera, Talavera La Reyna, Talavera Armando, Talavera Celia, Talavera Santa Catarina, Talavera de la Nueva España, Talavera de la Luz, Talavera de las Americas, and Talavera Virglio Perez. Each of these needs to pass a twice-yearly inspection of the manufacturing processes. Pieces are subject to sixteen laboratory tests with internationally certified labs.  In addition, there is a test done by the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Puebla to ensure that the glaze does not have lead content of more than 2.5 parts per million or cadmium content of more than 0.25 parts per million, as many of the pieces are used to serve food.  Only pieces from workshops that meet the standards are authorized to have the signature of the potter, the logo of the workshop and the special hologram that certifies the piece’s authenticity.

 

Authentic Talavera Pottery

Authentic Talavera pottery only comes from the city of Puebla and the nearby communities of Atlixco, Cholula, and Tecali, because of the quality of the natural clay found there and the tradition of production which goes back to the 16th century.  Much of this pottery was decorated only in blue, but colors such as yellow, black, green, orange and mauve have also been used. Authentic Talavera Plate - MH469a

Maiolica pottery was brought to Mexico by the Spanish in the first century of the colonial period. Production of this ceramic became highly developed in Puebla because of the availability of fine clays and the demand for tiles from the newly established churches and monasteries in the area. The industry had grown sufficiently that by the mid-17th century, standards and guilds had been established which further improved the quality, leading Puebla into what is called the “golden age” of Talavera pottery (from 1650 to 1750). Formally, the tradition that developed there is called Talavera Poblana to distinguish it from the similarly named Talavera pottery of Spain. It is a mixture of Italian, Spanish and indigenous ceramic techniques.

The tradition has struggled since the Mexican War of Independence in the early 19th century, during which the number of workshops were less than eight in the state of Puebla. Later efforts by artists and collectors revived the craft somewhat in the early 20th century and there are now significant collections of Talavera pottery in Puebla, Mexico City and New York City. Further efforts to preserve and promote the craft have occurred in the late 20th century, with the introduction of new, decorative designs and the passage of the Denominación de Origen de la Talavera law to protect authentic, Talavera pieces made with the original, 16th-century methods.

Article excerpt from Wikipedia

Puebla: Pottery Production

Puebla was the most prominent of the Mexican centers of pottery production to employ the technique of tin-enameled earthenware, known in Europe as maiolica, or faience. This technique produced a hard opaque white glaze, which served as a background for colorful, enamel-painted designs.

MH456a - Talavera PlateThe name Talavera, as applied to this ware, alludes to the city of Talavera de la Reina, the major producer of colorful maiolica in Spain from the sixteenth to the mid-eighteenth century. One tradition holds that the technique was introduced to Puebla by immigrants from the Spanish pottery center before 1653, the year in which the Pueblan potters’ guild was founded. However, the majority of surviving eighteenth-century maiolica from Puebla, with its blue-and-white palette, reflects the position of this city on the Spanish trade route from the Far East via the Philippines and across Mexico. A vast quantity of Chinese export porcelain carried by galleons from Manila remained in New Spain and served as models for the potters in Puebla (who were undoubtedly also conscious of the vogue for blue-and-white pottery in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Europe).

This collection of tin-enameled earthenware from Mexico was the gift of Emily Johnston de Forest, one of the Metropolitan Museum’s early patrons and a founder of The American Wing. Her pioneering interest in this material inspired the acquisition of similar collections by other American museums in the early twentieth century. In a letter to the Metropolitan at the time of her donation in 1911, Mrs. de Forest remarked:

The collection is important, in my opinion, not only as representing an artistic ceramic development, but, more particularly, as representing such a development in America. It seems to me to form a part of a collection representing the arts of Mexico which I hope will some time be fully represented in the Museum, as an American Museum.

Article source: Johanna Hecht, Dept. of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Five Centuries of Talavera

Of the tin-glazed earthenware made in colo­nial Spanish America, the variety known as Talavera Poblana is perhaps the most important. It has certainly enjoyed the longest con­tinuous tradition and is still manufactured today as it was .several centuries ago. It was also the pottery that achieved the widest distribution in America, precisely because it was one of the most important products in the trade established between colonies.

Puebla’s pottery workshops were held in especially high esteem and their production included objects of everyday use, as well as orna­mental pieces of particular artistic value. During the eighteenth century some workshops in Puebla even took part in decorating certain buildings in tile which consequently gave the city’s architecture its unmistakably local color.

The origin of earthenware production in Puebla has interested authors for decades. In his book entitled The Majolica of Mexico (1908), Edwin Atlee Barber upheld the popular belief that Talavera was instituted in the recently found­ed City of Puebla by monks at the Santo Domingo Monastery. It was thought these friars had sent for potters from Talavera de la Reina in Spain to circulate their techniques for producing ceramics.  This theory has long been prevalent and is still reiterated, if often spiced with a dash of legend.

MH473a  - Talavera Plate

The archival research published by Enrique Cervantes affirms that the production of earthen­ware in Puebla began in the sixteenth century. Cervantes appropriated the hypothesis advanced by Antonio Peirafiel which states that among the first citizens of Puebla were several artisans from Toledo who established the pottery industry in 1531. Completely discarding the myth that the first potters were commissioned by monks at the Santo Domingo Monastery, Cervantes concludes (without citing his sources), that there is enough information to assume that pottery began to be manufactured between 1550 and 1570; and that moreover, between 1580 and 1585, Gaspar de Encinas, a potter from Puebla, had already set up a workshop on the Calle de los Herreros. Closely examining these documents, however, we can only affirm that by 1573 the potter Alberto de Ojeda began working in Puebla and that the fol­lowing year he and Bartolame de Reina estab­lished a business partnership to make earthen­ware of all varieties, including tiles.” In 1573, another artisan from Puebla by the name of  Diego Rodriguez (referring to himself as a master potter), effected a contract in Mexico City with the friar Hernando de Morales to make 1500 tiles and verduguillos (rectangular tile pieces) for the Santo Domingo Monastery. That same year Rodriguez made arrangements for ceramics-painter Domingo de los Angeles to decorate the tiles that had been bought for the monastery. Rodriguez remained in Mexico City until at least 1582 which allows us to assume that he was the first to bring earthenware and tiles to Mexico City, and later to Puebla.

In 1579, “a master potter” by the name of Antonio Xinoves began working in Puebla and by the following year formed a seven-month partnership with JerOnimo Perez to do business, and profit from making earthenware.” That same year he contracted the services of someone named Juan Portuguez to help him with the work.

By 1580 many other potters had begun to set­tle in Puebla where they not only found the materials needed to produce quality earthen­ware, but were also furnished with a business center which facilitated the sale of their products to various cities in New Spain.

The production of earthenware became so important that by the late sixteenth century it sparked the interest of ecclesiastical authorities at the Bishopric of Tlaxcala who wanted to impose a tithe on these products. Potters were naturally opposed and eventually won the dispute by arguing that in Spain earthenware was not subject to any tithe.

MH461a -  Talavera Plate

It is hard to determine exactly how many “white ceramic workshops” could be counted in Puebla during the first half of the seventeenth century. Though quite a number of potters and craftsmen are mentioned in archives, many of them established companies to produce pottery and tiles for varying—often very short lengths of time—which makes it difficult to specify how many workshops there were, and how long each lasted. Nonetheless, documents regarding commercial operations and services (as well as personal letters and those drawn up to contract apprentices) give us a partial idea of their activities.

In the early seventeenth century, some pot­ters must have produced their earthenware with the help of only a few apprentices and craftsmen. By the end of the century, however, this began to change as the number of craftsmen gradually began to increase. These artisans were primarily Indian and in some rare cases, black or mulatto slaves. By the eighteenth century, workshops be­gan evolving into actual factories, including a master potter and artisans and apprentices under the control of an owner who wasn’t always a pot­ter himself—or herself, as was often true when ceramic workshops were run by the widowed wives of potters with the help of craftsmen and servants.

Article excerpt from Artes de Mexico Magazine – June 1992