Pearlware
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Refers to earthenware produced by Josiah Wedgewood from 1779, distinguished from his creamware by having a greater percentage of flint and white clay in the body and a trace of cobalt oxide in the glaze which gives it a bluish white cast.
Earthenware
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Earthenware is a porous clay made of earth taken from riverbeds, cliffs, and the ground we walk on. Its red color comes from iron impurities found in the earth. It is less durable than stoneware, and cannot withstand very high or very low temperatures.
Stoneware
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Stoneware is a high-temperature fired clay made from earth blended with other minerals, such as kaolin, feldspar, silica, and quartz. It is stronger, more watertight, and more durable than earthenware, and is most suitable for cooking, baking, or storing liquids.
19th-Century English Papier-mâché
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The French term papier-mâché refers to pulped paper mixed with an adhesive and shaped in molds, but the 19th-century English material was made differently. It was created by gluing together sheets of paper over a form that could be further shaped with a lathe, rasp, or plane. In 1772, Henry Clay of Birmingham invented this technique and patented it that year.
Sgraffito
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The sgraffito decorative technique involves black slip applied to the white clay body of a vessel, whereby the slip is scratched through to create the images.
Faience (ancient objects)
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
A glazed, colorful ceramic pottery called faience was invented in Mesopotamia ca. 4500 B.C.E., adopted by the ancient Egyptians, and produced until the mid-7th century C.E. Used for ancient objects such as decorating beads, amulets, figurines, and other small objects, it is distinguished from later European earthenware, which is known by the same name.
Plastics: Art Deco and Streamlined Modern
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Today much of our environment is constructed of plastic and the material is no longer considered exotic. Before WWII this was not the case. Early plastics like Bakelite (invented 1907) were considered manmade “miracles” because they were among the first wholly synthetic materials and could be molded into virtually any shape.
cliché-verre (printmaking)
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Invented in the 19th century, cliché-verre is a printmaking process that combines painting or drawing techniques with photographic reproduction. To create the image, an artist first prepares a glass plate with an opaque ground and then removes or reduces the opacity of areas intended to appear darker in the final print. Photosensitive paper is placed beneath the prepared plate.