1950s Caldas Majolica, 3-D Ceramic Plate With Life-Like Fruits, Pottery Made in Portugal

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Description

1950s Louca de Caldas mid-century hand-made, life-like Majolica fruits and vegetables from the Silver Coast of Portugal from the Caldas … Read more 1950s Louca de Caldas mid-century hand-made, life-like Majolica fruits and vegetables from the Silver Coast of Portugal from the Caldas de Rainha region. This is a composed fruit and vegetable display attached to a simple pale green 13 1/2" plate designed to be hung vertically on a wall or or even positioned upright on an easel as a room decoration. This "Louca das Caldas" piece is a beautiful example of the colorful iconic pottery also known as Portuguese Palissy-ware. Ideally suited for a decorative value in a cozy country or farm-style kitchen or dining area where it fits naturally. The item bares the original country of origin sticker on the backside which reads "made in Portugal".

Background:
The Caldas de Reinha region of Portugal was the cradle of one of the most characteristic ceramic styles in Portugal. It is here where traditional pottery was revolutionized and formed its own version of decorative serve-ware known as Portuguese Palissy-ware aka rustic-ware.

The origins of this artistic style in Portugal date back to the beginning of the 19th century when the region's clay-rich soils were already used in the production of kitchenware of mainly green-copper or brown color. But it is the legacy of the original French Master, Monsieur Bernard Palissy (c. 1510–1589) , the creator of "Nature on a Plate" whose influence spread beyond the shores of France's Cote de Azur and across its borders and the sea gaining intense interest in Spain where it has a spawned its own rich history and Portugal where it is known for its own famously distinctive take on the style. A more refined version was popularized as well as much further to the United Kingdom of Great Britain. Like gossip each country that fell under the influence of Palissy they adapted the centuries old version of this unique artistic style and method of ceramic mastery but non more so than Portugal.

The first ceramist under the influence to gain national fame and acclaim in Portugal was Maria dos Cacos. She was the creative force behind a very popular pottery workshop known as The Cacos (1820 -1853) located in the Caldas de Rainha.

After 1850, other artistic potters continued to revolutionize the town's ceramic tradition, namely Manuel Cipriano Gomes, also known as Manuel Mafra, and more famously Rafael Bordallo Pinheiro, two of the main succeeding figures responsible for the fame that ceramics from Caldas still enjoy to this day.

The ceramic pieces created in Caldas da Rainha by Bordallo Pinheiro and other potters of the day had common shared traits which were characterized as highly detailed, and often vibrant majolica pottery that featured naturalistic designs like cabbage leaves, lettuce, fish, sausages, and like the one offered here for sale, vegetables and fruit. This ceramic style is still produced to this day and is generally described as “louça da Caldas”. See less