Talavera (pottery)

Talavera is the name of a type of Mexican pottery originally from the cities of Puebla, Mexico, and Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, Mexico.

While it is named after Talavera de la Reina, a city in Spain, the term "talavera" is most often used to describe the Mexican derivation of this art pottery. The painted pottery of Spain would be more appropriately referred to as majolica. It is said that the Catholic priest Father Miguel Hidalgo influenced the development of this pottery style. Today, this name defines also other forms of ceramic art specific to the same area.

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Talavera is the term used to when describing the recreation of beautiful art that extends from Spaniards and the people of China. The specific village that some of the world's most beautiful pottery and ceramics come from is Talavera de la Reina. The artists from Spain are known to be some of the best possessing true skills in creating beautiful pieces of art; most of those skills being passed down from their ancestors for centuries. [ [http://www.mexicanconnexion.com/pages.asp?pageid=950 About Mexican Talavera ] ]

Talavera pottery is a form of Majolica. Mojolica is any handmade pottery, paintings, and other ceramics and arts created by the earth's materials. The process of creating Mojolica journeys from Egypt and ancient Mesopotamia, and according to [http://www.mexicanconnexion.com/pages.asp?pageid=950 Mexican Connexion] , "was further refined in China." [ [http://www.mexicanconnexion.com/pages.asp?pageid=950 About Mexican Talavera ] ] When Spanish artisans entered Mexico in the 16th century, they introduced this art to the people of Mexico; who later and as of now take pride in creating this type of art. Their art expands from a combination of different cultures, the Chinese, Spanish, Moors and Egyptians.

Talavera pottery is made from blending clays together with water to soften the clay. This process also thins the clay making it more accessible to work with. When sculpting the clay, the artist can create the form by hand sculpting, molds, or a potter's wheel. When the shape of the pottery is complete, the artist will then leave the clay out to dry for about eight to twelve weeks, approximately two to three months. [ [http://www.mexicanconnexion.com/pages.asp?pageid=950 About Mexican Talavera ] ] This process also goes through two sets of burning, which is the baking of the clay to obtain durability. This first bake will change the clay colored piece to a reddish orange color known as "jahuete", and then painted and decorated. After the painting and decorating is dry, the piece will be baked (also known as fired) once again, finishing the final piece of art.

Many people consider Puebla the home of Mexican Talavera because of the first regulations and standards for determining uniformity and excellence of the traditional Mexican Talavera. These locations that see the regulations are met are called "fabricas", and have only a few left in Mexico. The "certified fabrica" in Puebla, is known as [http://www.uriartetalavera.com/ Uriarte Talavera] , which was founded by Sr. Don Dimas Uriarte in 1824. [ [http://www.mexicanconnexion.com/pages.asp?pageid=950 About Mexican Talavera ] ]

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