Deruta Ceramics
Encyclopedia
Deruta Ceramics are a type of enamelled ceramic
s produced in the Italian
town of Deruta
.
, a picturesque medieval hilltown in Umbria
, Italy
. Production began in the early Middle Ages
, found its artistic peak in the 15th and early 16th century, with highly characteristic local styles, such as the Deruta trademark "Raffaellesco" dragon design said to be inspired by the murals of Raphael
.
In 1553, Leandro Alberti wrote “... the terracotta
vases made in Deruta are often mentioned for how well they are made and beautifully decorated. And it is believed that there are no other craftsmen in Italy that can match the work even though there have been attempts to do so...”
There are a number of ruins of very old ceramic kilns throughout Deruta. In addition to housing the usual governmental offices, the municipal hall houses a Museum of Ceramics. Along the Tiberina road, at the foot of the old town, yet another church - the Madonna delle Piagge - is clad in a colorful array of ceramic tiles.
Ceramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
s produced in the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
town of Deruta
Deruta
Deruta is a hill town and comune in the Province of Perugia in the Umbria region of central Italy. Long known as a center of refined maiolica manufacture, Deruta remains known for its ceramics, which are exported worldwide.-History:...
.
Overview
Deruta ceramics are a typical product of DerutaDeruta
Deruta is a hill town and comune in the Province of Perugia in the Umbria region of central Italy. Long known as a center of refined maiolica manufacture, Deruta remains known for its ceramics, which are exported worldwide.-History:...
, a picturesque medieval hilltown in Umbria
Umbria
Umbria is a region of modern central Italy. It is one of the smallest Italian regions and the only peninsular region that is landlocked.Its capital is Perugia.Assisi and Norcia are historical towns associated with St. Francis of Assisi, and St...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Production began in the early Middle Ages
Early Middle Ages
The Early Middle Ages was the period of European history lasting from the 5th century to approximately 1000. The Early Middle Ages followed the decline of the Western Roman Empire and preceded the High Middle Ages...
, found its artistic peak in the 15th and early 16th century, with highly characteristic local styles, such as the Deruta trademark "Raffaellesco" dragon design said to be inspired by the murals of Raphael
Raphael
Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino , better known simply as Raphael, was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. His work is admired for its clarity of form and ease of composition and for its visual achievement of the Neoplatonic ideal of human grandeur...
.
In 1553, Leandro Alberti wrote “... the terracotta
Terra cotta
Terracotta, Terra cotta or Terra-cotta is a clay-based unglazed ceramic, although the term can also be applied to glazed ceramics where the fired body is porous and red in color...
vases made in Deruta are often mentioned for how well they are made and beautifully decorated. And it is believed that there are no other craftsmen in Italy that can match the work even though there have been attempts to do so...”
The town of Deruta
Deruta has over 200 ceramic workshops, most of which retail their own goods along with other retail shops which display and sell pottery products. The town also serves as a centre for local farming and various agricultural industries.There are a number of ruins of very old ceramic kilns throughout Deruta. In addition to housing the usual governmental offices, the municipal hall houses a Museum of Ceramics. Along the Tiberina road, at the foot of the old town, yet another church - the Madonna delle Piagge - is clad in a colorful array of ceramic tiles.
External links
- Deruta Italian Pottery Importers (In English)
- Raffaello Sanzio (In English)
- Raphael - Raffaello Sanzio (In English)
- Vanucci "Il Perugino" (In English)
- Deruta Regional Museum of Ceramics (In English)
- Official Comune di Deruta (City of Deruta) website (in Italian)
- Outline of Deruta ceramics with pictures (in English)
- In Love with Italy -Deruta-Edition 6 (In English)
- Comune (Burough) of Deruta: the history (in English)
- Deruta and its ceramics (In English)
- Deruta and Ceramics News, under the Patronage of the Deruta Borough" (In English and Italian)
- The Deruta Ceramists Network (In English and Italian)
- Ceramics & Pottery Blog (In English)
- Italian Ceramics (In English)
- Italian Majolica