{"id":11449,"date":"2022-05-30T10:45:13","date_gmt":"2022-05-30T08:45:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homesandantiques.com\/?p=1499"},"modified":"2022-05-30T10:51:13","modified_gmt":"2022-05-30T08:51:13","slug":"the-history-of-antique-terracotta","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/rss_feed\/the-history-of-antique-terracotta\/","title":{"rendered":"The history of antique terracotta"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Ellie Tennant\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Monday, 30 May 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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Over time, some home fashions come and go as trends evolve, but there is one remarkable yet \u2018everyday\u2019 material that is far too beautiful, affordable and useful to be forgotten for long: terracotta. From classical sculptures to modern, minimalist pendant lights<\/a> \u2013 the enduring appeal of this humble substance appears to know no bounds.<\/p>\n

Countless designers and makers have embraced the fiery orange-hued clay of late. While trend-setting Danish brand Bloomingville<\/a> had a tableware collection featuring part-glazed terracotta pieces, designers such as Nick Fraser<\/a> are creating contemporary products with this ancient material.<\/p>\n

In 2017, Royal Doulton<\/a> launched its \u2018Olio\u2019 collection, which features terracotta pieces inspired by the salt-glazed clay pipes the firm once manufactured, and paint brand Valspar<\/a> also announced that \u2018terracotta\u2019 is a key colour for the year.<\/p>\n

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Fashion a tablescape using a variety of terracotta storage vessels from different periods and origins. Here, an oriental vase c1880 complements German rustic jugs from the 1960s<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

How is terracotta made?<\/h2>\n

When fired, iron oxide in terracotta clay gives the end product its distinctive rich, red-brown colour. The word \u2018terracotta\u2019 emerged in the early 18th century, from the Italian terra cotta, after the Latin terra cocta, meaning \u2018baked earth\u2019.<\/p>\n

But terracotta was in use long before this. \u2018It\u2019s such a common material and it has such extraordinary properties,\u2019 says Carol Galvin, a retired sculpture conservator who assessed terracotta objects for the V&A<\/a>. \u2018It can be modelled when it\u2019s wet, it hardens when it dries and when it\u2019s fired it becomes permanent. All these properties were discovered at a very early stage of human development.\u2019<\/p>\n

You might also like<\/strong> collecting antique confit pots<\/a><\/p>\n

What was terracotta used for?<\/h2>\n

Terracotta was used in China from the Neolithic period (c6500\u20131600 BC) onwards, for ritual vessels, architectural elements and figurines \u2013 the most famous example being the 7,000 life-size terracotta warriors found in the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi (259\u2013210BC) at Lintong.<\/p>\n

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Create space for charming clay figures of soldiers, ladies and attendants<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

The Ancient Greeks and Romans used it, too, for lamps, vases, plates, statuettes and architectural details. \u2018The fact that you can use terracotta clay for casting means that you can reproduce things from life. So if you have gypsum, which allows you to make a mould, you can press a plate into it and reproduce items accurately,\u2019 explains Galvin. \u2018The realism in Greek sculpture depended on casting. A lot of marble sculptures were carved, working from clay models.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Introduce oversized busts of Grecian gods and bucolic antique amphora to enhance the sense of faded grandeur<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

During the Middle Ages, terracotta items were mostly utilitarian. It wasn\u2019t until the 15th century that this versatile clay began to be used again for sculpture, primarily in Italy where Della Robbia and Donatello created works in terracotta, such as Donatello\u2019s Joshua for Florence Cathedral.<\/p>\n

\u2018Italian Renaissance sculptors used terracotta to create breathtakingly life-like pieces,\u2019 says Galvin. \u2018I worked on a portrait bust of Henry VII by Pietro Torrigiano. We discovered that the clay was used to mould a likeness based on the king\u2019s death mask. The material has the ability to create a direct likeness of somebody.\u2019<\/p>\n

Until the 18th century, terracotta sculptures were rarely left unglazed. \u2018In Renaissance times, terracotta was painted to look like marble or bronze, or decorated with gilding or polychromy,\u2019 says Galvin.<\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Create an impressive Italianate entrance with a terracotta bust on a marbled plinth alongside an imposing olive tree rooted in a weathered terracotta planter<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

You might also like<\/strong> collecting antique honey pots<\/a><\/p>\n

Terracotta in architecture<\/h2>\n

Encaustic terracotta floor tiles were produced throughout Europe during medieval times \u2013 13th-century examples can be seen in Westminster Abbey \u2013 but it was during the Renaissance when terracotta was really embraced as an architectural material in England. It was popular in the 19th century again, too, partly because the clay \u2013 a by-product of coal mining \u2013 was readily available.<\/p>\n

Ferrous Auger, managing director at architectural salvage dealership Lassco<\/a> says that terracotta items from this era often turn up today. \u2018Terracotta is perfect for large-scale architectural use,\u2019 he explains. \u2018You can make 100 items exactly the same from one mould.\u2019 Auger reports that salvaged terracotta floor tiles are sought after \u2013 expect to pay \u00a390\u2013\u00a3120 per sq m for reclaimed versions \u2013 as are original 19th-century chimney pots: \u2018When people are working on listed buildings, they often need to replace like-with-like.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Enormous olive pots sit majestically beside the borders of an English garden. Set up a day bedand prop up a fine linen canopy shade to enjoy the last days of summer<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Antique<\/a> olive oil jars are popular among collectors, too. \u2018Pots with loop handles are usually from Greece, whereas those with scooped-in handles are more likely to be Italian,\u2019 reveals Auger. \u2018They were produced in vast quantities. Old terracotta peels like an onion as it ages.\u2019 Such olive oil jars can fetch \u00a3100\u2013\u00a31,000, depending on size, age and quality.<\/p>\n

For many, it is the tactility of terracotta that appeals. Often shaped by human hand, many older items provide fascinating glimpses into history. \u2018It\u2019s an exceptional material,\u2019 concludes Galvin. \u2018So pliable, it was the common medium for sculptors\u2019 clay models. They often left fingerprints and tool marks behind in the clay, so we can see exactly how a sculptor worked.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Indulge in the continental lifestyle by creating an undercover outdoor kitchen.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Where to see antique terracotta<\/h2>\n

\u2748 The Victoria and Albert Museum, London. 020 7942 2000; vam.ac.uk<\/p>\n

\u2748 Hampton Court Palace, Surrey. 020 3166 6000; hrp.org.uk \u2013 has prominent terracotta roundels by Giovanni da Maiano mounted by Cardinal Wolseyon the towered brick gateway<\/p>\n

\u2748 Royal Albert Hall, London. 020 7589 8212; royalalberthall.com \u2013 has a terracotta mosaic around its entire 244m circumference<\/p>\n

Where to buy antique terracotta<\/h2>\n

\u2748 Andrew Bewick 020 7385 9025<\/p>\n

\u2748 CJ Martin 020 8364 4565; antiquities.co.uk<\/p>\n

\u2748 Guinevere 020 7736 2917; guinevere.co.uk<\/p>\n

\u2748 Lassco 020 7394 2100; lassco.co.uk<\/p>\n

\u2748 Mackinnon Fine Furniture 020 7839 5671; mackinnonfineart.com<\/p>\n

\u2748 Maison Artefact 020 7381 2500<\/p>\n

\u2748 Nimmo & Spooner 020 7385 2724; nimmoandspooner.co.uk<\/p>\n

\u2748 The Old Cinema 020 8995 4166; theoldcinema.co.uk<\/p>\n

\u2748 Petersham Nurseries 020 8940 5230; petershamnurseries.com<\/p>\n

\u2748 Puckhaber 020 3304 7327; puckhaberdecorativeantiques.com<\/p>\n

\u2748 Shane Meredith 020 7381 5277<\/p>\n

\u2748 Westland London 020 7739 8094; westlandlondon.com<\/p><\/body><\/html>\n

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