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| Conímbriga Ceramic |
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In the city of Coimbra and its municipality, located in the central region of Portugal, ceramics are produced for many centuries. In fact, the most ancient written document referring to National Ceramics production exists here, and is dated from 1145. Also in this city exist written documents from the 16th Century that approve and regulate the existence of malegueiros, artisans that cooked the ceramics pieces twice. With the first cooking they obtained the raw pottery piece, then they applied a glaze onto it, and finally they cooked it the second time, in order to be able to paint that glazed surface. Probably it was thanks to the highly appreciated China porcelains, which were brought in by the Portuguese sailors in the Discoveries’ Age, which the beautiful faience pieces painted in blue and white tones by these malegueiros appeared. Today, the faience painted in this region, usually called ”Coimbra earthenware”, is unique in Portugal, and represents the Oriental tradition as well as the Arabian style influence. The typically-featured “Coimbra eathenware” only reached its popularity in the 1940’s, when the ancient Ceramics societies existing since the 18th Century decided to start making fine quality reproductions of 17th Century faience, exhibited in museums and private collections of the city. Thanks to those artisans, passionate for this art, the famous Conímbriga Ceramics factory was put to life in 1960, in the city of Condeixa, next to Coimbra. The name Conímbriga was inspired in the known Roman ruins that exist nearby, and were also the artistic inspiration for some of the fine pieces produced nowadays. Since its foundation, this factory has continuously guaranteed the traditional and typical expression of the Portuguese ceramics, not only through its exclusive pieces, but also through the painting courses it offers to its artisans and through the faience production processes which allow the obtaining of unique, high quality pieces. The Conímbriga Ceramics factory is proud of the fact that it still uses entirely handcrafted production processes. Due to the usage of white clay from the region, which is of high quality, raw putty pieces are produced according to traditional production processes. After this, the artisans of the Conímbriga Ceramics entirely paint the decorative motifs by hand. It are these artisans that today still possess the ancient knowledge and secrets to produce the original and fine colors, such as sepia and blue, by using ancient substances. The final procedure involves the bathing of the pieces in a stanniferous glaze, which after the second cooking gives the pieces its typical milky tone. The decorative motifs are classified into several categories: blue small design, coloured small design, 15th Century with Islamic influence, 17th Century design, etc. These motifs of the Coimbra faience portray hunting scenes, coats of arms, feathers and plumage of exotic birds, outlines over Arabian-influenced backgrounds, and many more. All of them have such a peculiar effect that they give the faience a typical feature impossible to be mistaken or confused with any other faience. The decoration is entirely handmade, signed and dated by the artisan, making each piece exclusive and unique. All pieces are painted with lead-free inks, so there is no risk for your health when used in daily domestic life. |
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Pine Cone Candlesticks Coimbra Faience Candlesticks Painted with 17th Century Decoration Motifs |
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Millenium Vase Coimbra Faience Vase Painted with 17th Century Decoration Motifs |
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Octogonal African Plate (small) Coimbra Faience Plate Painted with African decoration Motif |
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