The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-01-04
Ceramic Art.

and r. is said that the Egyptians attribut-
ed its discovery to the gods, wnIcn 70
proof that plastic art Preeeo-
ed their recorded history. 1t 10 sahsfact,
orily shown both that the Hebrews ossa
earthenware vessels in the wilderness. ard
that the potter's trade was subsequently
carried on in Palestine, In such high es-
timation was tho business held by the an
clients that the Mural paintings minutely
illustrate the various processes OF AUS man
den nv mems feet into the condition of
paste. mest of the ware first made being OF
tara Gotta, or unglazed clay. When tho
material was free from Jumps it was placed
by the potter on the wheel beside which
he sat, asd while the latter was turned
tho clay Was shaped into the required form
with bis hands. When finished and pro-
perly shaped, tho vessel was baked IN Q
furnace or oven prepared expressly Tor the
purpose. Subsequently the process OF
glazing was discovered, and the surface OF
yitreous substance, supposed to be similar
to the modern article, the basis of which is
lead.
royal establishment of potters, from whose
! employment and place of work, and
Potters' Field 10 supposed to have derived
It's name, it afterwards being nsed as
common buryipg place for the inhabitants.
The discoveries of baked earthenwarein
the ruins of ancient cities show that its
manufacture was greatly extended and
differing greatly in their habits and GUS
toms. One fact is certain, that the manu-
facture of porcelain was known to the
Chinese many centuries before our era,
aud it was first introduced into Europe
from that country by Portuguese merchants
I aI>n tho
The Chinese kept it's method of produc-
ton q secret, but chemists experinented
and analysed its broken parts, and In
1895, native of France succeeded in lmi-
tating it though very imperfectly: A
German chemist, one john Frederick
Bottcher, subsequently, and after repeated
trials, was enabled in l7l5 to make more
perfect ware of this description.
In l765 the French Government estab-
, lished factory at Sevres, which has since
, extended its fame worldwide on account
of it's superior ware and its elegance OF
style and decoration.
Previous to this, however, the MaJolica
aud Maresco pottery were the favorite
wares in Europe, and as early as the year
, HOO had attained reputation in spain,
France, Italy, and other countries; The
3 most ancient pottery of note was that Of
the Etruscans, their work being of such
3 exc uisite model and beauty as to rank
I! among the finest works Of art. To this
. day the Etruscan style is highly priced and
always claims the unbounded admiration Of
:. models OF these exceedingly fine wares were
' known to both the Assyrfans and Moors at
q date very much earlier than mention ii
usually made by writer's on this interesting
y subject. 81.
The celebrated vases Of the Spezieria, il
4 Majolice, for which it is said Queen Chris
!, tiana, of Sweden, offered their weight il
= gold, were the productions of Battist'
;. Franco, Raffaello de Collie, and OraEio Fon
: tana. The latter Is said to have been TIL
Z most celebrated painter of his time. HI
:. had no equal in the execution of his gem
o FIRE on his wares.
o In the Japanese palace at Dresden, are
It hundred and eighty pieces of Majolica
: dating from 1892, to 1896, the subjects beinl
Q either copied from Biblical history or Greel
% mythology.
It The Introduction of Oriental porcelain
/ and its subsequent manufacture in Europ
). contributed greatly to the decay and al
y most entire cessation of the manufacture
: of Maiolca, and called forth the following
n lament from Able Passeri. Majolica,
e he says, " which once graced the tables Q
a kings, adorned the apartments of tn
: greatest mobiles, embellished temples, pass
| ed over seas and mountains, and thu
= spread the honorable fame of our fabric
= far and wide, is now ,shorn Of all renown
q and remains only an Op1ecL OF cuEiQhlGy.
= In some parts Of England the mannfac
III ture Of pottery ia carried on upon the sam
o ground used for that purpose during th
l. Roman occupation Of the country. Tb
% production Of porcelain and other ware
"a also extensive, and Is generally >, of fin
Is style and material. Josiah Wedgewop
10 began to make his celebrated m-col
IF ored ware in 1760, and the article is stil
l. manufactured under the same trade mark
is he brought it TO such perfection as to imi
IT tate canoes and precious stones, and it j
said, could deceive the ordinary observe
by his counterfeit Resemblance of jasper.
"a At a recent exhibition of Chinese an
ID Japanese vases in London, the. former
8, several hundred in number-were- embel
Is lished with brass mOuntings, APPARENT
st let into the paste previously to being baked
N These ornaments represented dragons
" fish, dogs, ETC., and were unique in appear
4 ance. The vases themselves were perfec
n specimens Of their kind, and had elabo
IN rately finished illustrations of Chinese lf
N in the highest style of their art, and of th
Ne most brilliant coloring. The Japanes
.