Ceramic art has evolved alongside humanity, accompanying it from the very beginning. Primitive man needed vessels to preserve liquids or cook food, observing that clay could be molded. Fire provided this material with the necessary hardness, impermeability, and resistance. The incessant historical evolution of the techniques used is proof of its value. For this reason, in this post, we have taken a look at the origin and evolution of ceramic art.
Origins of pottery
Evidence indicates that the word ceramic comes from the Greek. For some, it comes from the word keramiké, which means clay. Others claim that it comes from Ceramos, son of Dionysus, and Ariadne, creator of the craft of pottery.
This practice appeared in two places distant in time and space, independently. We find it in Japan in 11,000 BC and in Mesopotamia in 8,000 BC. The characteristics of the materials used allowed the manufacture of pieces with religious meaning, stamps, ornaments, and amulets.
Practical objects, which, as you can imagine, were used as containers, were ovoid. They were made from a ball of clay in which a hole was made to thin the walls by turning it. The technique of superimposing rolls, which allows different shapes to be achieved, was unknown at that time.
The importance of ceramic art is reflected in the divisions of the Neolithic, which are known as the pre-ceramic and ceramic periods. These vessels were already decorated with incisions, inlays, and colored borders, offering greater versatility. The slow and fast wheel began to be used from 4,500 BC and 2,000 BC, respectively, and from 1,500 BC glazed objects were produced.
Ceramic art in different civilizations
The different techniques and methods of decoration used to make the pieces are determined by very diverse traditions. The uses also had different purposes. It is possible to observe these differences in each of the most important civilizations.
Ancient Egypt
The potter’s wheel began to be used around 2,600 BC, as well as various enamels. The custom of burying the deceased with all their belongings allowed many objects to be preserved, such as cups and necklaces. Among the characteristics of ceramic art that you can observe are the blue and green colors, a product of cobalt oxide. The well-known blue scarabs are an example of great artistic significance.
Chaldea, Assyria and Babylon
These Mesopotamian civilizations made extensive use of clay bricks, which in many cases were the main construction material for religious or civil buildings. A common way of decorating was to draw brown geometric shapes on a white background. In this region and period, clay tablets were used, on which they wrote with cuneiform characters.
A colored paste made from silica served as a decorative element and was used to give a glassy finish. You can see an exquisite work, the Frieze of the Archers from the Palace of Darius I , which is on display at the Louvre Museum. The richness of the colors in the costumes is truly exceptional.
Ancient Greece
The most outstanding ancient Greek pottery is that produced in the cities of Corinth and Rhodes. The shapes reached an extraordinary diversity, depending on the use to which they were put and thanks to the impulse of trade. In the Attic pottery trade of the 5th century BC, many pieces were characteristically decorated with red figures on a black background, rendered with extraordinary detail and skill.
The proliferation of different types of containers produced objects such as the lekythos, for storing ointments and oil, the calathus for storing wool, amphorae for transporting wine and grain, and the alabastron, used to store perfumes. Various containers were used in ceremonies, such as the plemochoe, a container in which offerings to the gods were deposited.
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Roman Empire
The Roman Empire inherited ceramic art from Greece and other sources and directed it mainly towards the production of everyday objects. It was so important that pottery became the largest industry of the time.
You should know that for the Romans practical utility was more important than ornamental value. This is reflected in cosmetic utensils and lanterns. Tableware ranged from the humble to the very sophisticated, such as the so-called terra sigillata, or sealed clay, of a bright red color.
The techniques were diversified and the most common ones were applied relief, engraving, incision, and stamping. Despite their practical utility, many of the pieces worked in this way are considered works of art today.
Islam
This culture was influenced by Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean. The use of various types of mineral compounds served to give a characteristic metallic shine. They used salts of silver, copper, cinnabar, iron, and sulfur, diluted in vinegar, and the pieces were cooked at low temperatures.
Copper and manganese oxides were applied as glazes to obtain green and violet hues, respectively. Perforations and incisions were frequently used as additional decorative elements, and geometric designs were drawn with them.
During the Caliphate of Córdoba, Andalusian ceramics experienced a notable development thanks to the use of lead glazes in varnishes with copper and manganese. The technique known as “dry rope” allowed decoration with different glazes applied contiguously, without mixing. In this way, the pieces gained a remarkable appearance.
China
The greatest advance in the art of ancient pottery in Asia was achieved during the Yuan dynasty. Turquoise was widely used in the decoration of the pieces, many of which were made of kaolin, to depict animals and plants. During the Ming and Chiang dynasties, the human figure appeared and the number of colors was increased to three or five on a white background.
Training in art appraisal
If you are passionate about art and would like to acquire the knowledge of an art appraiser, at Escuela Des Arts we have the training you need. Specifically, through the online master’s degree in art appraisal, you will study the basic concepts of the sector, as well as the origin and evolution of ceramic art, sculpture, and painting. You will also learn the main artistic techniques and pigments in painting.
On the other hand, you will acquire solid knowledge to be able to differentiate artistic forgeries, in addition to learning the techniques of appraisal of works of art and paintings. Finally, you will learn the importance of museums today, essential cultural spaces to approach this area of art and culture.
