Who isn’t attracted to the brightly blue coloured pottery? Well, it is the charm of the famous blue pottery, an art form that came from middle-east Asia. The use of a specific Arabic paste including Quartz separates Jaipur’s blue enigma from all other styles of earthenware. Markedly, it is the world’s only pottery that isn’t composed of clay. The uniqueness lies in the fact that the artisans glaze it and moderately heat it. These attractive pieces are exceedingly delicate. Practically, you can find them at any pottery enthusiast’s home.
The pink city of India, Jaipur, is a cultural hub for this art form and a city of skilled creative artists, is also one of the most historic cities in India. Sanganer is a suburb in Jaipur, located approximately 16 KMS towards the south of Jaipur has been the home of blue pottery as well as other handicrafts. The artisans living there have made blue pottery ceramics that are purchased and spread across the world.
The Origin of Blue Pottery
With early Turkic invasions in the fifteenth century, the making of the blue pottery spread to the northeast region of India. The Afghans invented an imported technique of using blue enamel on ceramic handicrafts, who blended Persian inventive skills with some Chinese varnishing technology.
Continuing to follow their triumphs and entry in India, the Muslim rulers began to use them for more than just an artistic accent for Indian potters over time. In the 17th and 18th centuries, this Blue Pottery art then spread to the savannahs of Delhi and then later to Jaipur. Accordingly, as per some historians, the art of Blue Pottery arrived in the pink city in the mid-nineteenth century under the reign of King Sawai Ram Singh II. It is said that he had remitted local artisans to Delhi to be educated in this beautiful art form. For instance, the fountains of Rambagh Palace depict exemplary older version of the ceramic art . It is clearly evident looking at the azure tiles.
Process and Products
This ceramic art is created by mainly using these ingredients such as powdered glass, fine powder of Quartz stone, Multani Mitti, sometimes Gond powder and water. The mixing of unrefined copper oxide with salt or sugar results into bright blue and greenish-blue shades. These materials are all mixed in a furnace before being clarified for use. One might use cobalt oxide to create the dark ultramarine colour, which is the most applicable version of products.
The artists paint blue pottery designs on multi-purpose jars, iron brackets for walls, coasters, table linens, door handles and candlesticks. Also, pickle jars, margarita glasses, royal bowls, dinnerware, and other tableware may offer a splash of colour to any home. The multicoloured tiles with amusing pictures or quotes and also other accessories make an interestingly expressive décor. There are also jewellery sets, keychains and beads available in blue. These glazed ceramic products are sometimes expensive and sometimes very cheap based on the quality, region and purpose of the material. The cost of it ranges from 200 INR to 30,000 INR.
The Marvels Of Glaze & Fire – Jaipur Blue Pottery Masterclass With Gopal Saini
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What is a Masterclass Workshop?
Rajasthan Studio has specially curated personalized Masterclass Workshops. This ensures the privilege of one to one learning from the expert artists. We only take limited seats in each workshop. Not only you can understand the art technique vividly but also practically do it along. Take back best of the learnt skills and art pieces.
Revival and the Rule for Blue Pottery
Jaipur’s blue pottery has evolved significantly in terms of styles, materials, techniques and forms and even in the manufacturing procedures, for example, the raw materials are quite different now from it was before. Previously, the enamel coating used on pottery contained lead, but due to its environmentally harmful nature. The artisans have eliminated the use of lead now.
Mostly done in a strong blue hue, which is the art’s specialty, artisans are now exploring with plenty of other materials such as tones of yellow, red, green, orange and so on. It does not require any particular method of cleaning. Additionally, people clean it readily with warm water and soap. Furthermore, diesel heaters have replaced the traditional charcoal-fueled wood furnace in most of the regions of Rajasthan. Ambiguous and abstract designs are increasingly predominant for designing tools, motifs, ceramic pots and other products in place of the classic floral and geometric themes. Caution is must while handling it because it is quite frail.
Despite these mayhems and alterations, Jaipur’s antique is thriving, blue porcelain culture remains as remarkable as ever!
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