Our journeys in Spain, whether purely for pleasure and discovery or while on the trail in search of modern practitioners of traditional crafts, have always been blessed with happy, serendipitous events. And so it was, only days after being delighted by the exquisite beauty of a large ceramic bowl with a 'horse and bird' design in the Archaeology Museum of Granada, the wonderful repository of much of the history of this magnificent city, that we found ourselves in a very modern workshop/studio on the outskirts of Granada. I remember that we both exclaimed at the very same time, “There's our bowl from the Museum!” And so it was, in every last detail, lovingly reproduced in design, shape, glaze even the colour and texture of the clay originally employed by Moorish craftsmen in the 10th century.

Our new friend, Alfredo, explained that the studio had begun in the centre of 'old' Granada, beneath the walls of the Alhambra, in order to create faithful, 'to-the-last-detail' reproductions of ceramics recovered from and on display in the Alhambra. This has proved to be no easy task, as the level of expertise and technical ability was extremely high during the Moorish occupation of Spain and many of their innovative techniques had been either lost or had been much degraded in technique.However, through diligence and painstaking efforts, they had achieved remarkable success with a number of styles, most notably the 'Califal' tradition of Córdoba and the 'Nasari Lustreware' of Granada itself. Indeed, they had met with such success that they had required much more space than their cramped quarters could provide and had built a new studio in Granada's outskirts.

Nasari Lustreware

These exquisite ceramics are decorated in accord with traditional techniques belonging to the 12th through the 15th centuries, which had their origins in Malaga in the time of the kingdom of Granada. Potters of this time had had enormous success with a type of earthenware previously developed in Persia which was known as golden pottery or lustreware due to its amazing metallic reflective properties. This ceramic tradition was unsurpassed for many generations and some would argue it never has been.

The process for Lustreware begins as for any other type of earthenware: the clay is spun on the potter's wheel, and after being fired in a kiln, the article is given a coating of ordinary enamel and then decorated. As can be seen in our collection, however, these designs are enormously intricate and detailed. The article is then returned to the kiln and fired again before being brushed with a mixture of cinnabar, copper sulphate, iron oxide, sulphur and silver, with vinegar usually being used as a thinner. Returned to the kiln for a third time, the article is given a third firing, but this time at a lower temperature, and the air-vents are slightly closed so that the lack of air prevents complete combustion (reduction firing) and means that the smoke and other by-products cannot escape. The article therefore comes out of the kiln completely black, but once washed, the designs show up most vividly and there is a reflective metallic glaze all over. If copper is used instead of silver, the reflection is of a ruddier hue. This technique is so elaborate and both labour and materials intensive that it adds a particular singularity and high value to these lustre pieces.

We are very pleased to offer our collection of these fine works of art, painstakingly reproduced from the halls of the Alhambra by these modern master craftsmen.

Related article on History of Lustreware Ceramics

Cerámica Califal

This collection consists of reproductions of 10th and 11th century ceramics from the epoch of the Caliphate Omeya in Córdoba. The technique is a similar to that of lustreware, but less complicated and involving simpler scenic or geometric designs. It is based on the application of copper oxide in a reduction firing in order to achieve aquamarine and burgundy shades.These pieces were magnificently ornamental and utilized a difficult technique for the period. The descriptive nature of the decoration takes us back to earlier mural art, even to cave paintings, an evocative legacy also to be found in the 'Mediaeval' ceramics from Lebrija. Apart from the 'Horse and Bird', one of my personal favourites is the 'Sailing Ship'.