Since ancient times, mankind has used faience for making plates and cups. And in the modern world, ceramic dishes are considered almost indispensable. Although the style of products, the technology of their production are constantly changing, but the material itself remains unchanged. What is earthenware, and what features it has - try to understand this article.
What is faience
Earthenware is the material from which cookware, interior items, architectural elements , etc. are made. It is characterized by fragility, density and fine porosity. The name of this material comes from the Italian city of Faenza, which was famous for the production of ceramic products.
Faience is mainly used for the manufacture of dishes, souvenirs and various ceramic gifts. Figurines of this type differ from china in brightness and color saturation and look very fabulous. As for tableware, crockery made of faience is most often made in a simple form and usually looks. It is ideal for everyday meals with a simple table setting.
Varieties of faience
Depending on the composition and amount of impurities, several types of faience are distinguished:
- Lime faience - in addition to quartz and white clay, the composition includes chalk and dolomite. Thanks to these additives, products are made much easier and faster.
- Soft faience - different fins are added to the traditional composition - substances that form fusible compounds during heat treatment.
- Feldspar faience - it contains a certain amount of feldspars (rock-forming minerals).
- Solid earthenware is the most durable material. Such products are characterized by high mechanical characteristics. The burning of solid earthenware takes place at a very high temperature.
History of Faience
Mankind knew what faience was, another 4 thousand years BC. e. The composition of the first ceramics was slightly different from that produced today. In Mesopotamia and Egypt, earthenware was made of quartz pebbles with impurities of soda, limestone, copper and iron ore.
Much later faience appeared in the Old World. At first it was released under the name majolica in some cities in Italy. Then high-quality faience products were produced in France, in the city of Saint-Porsche.
In Russia, faience gained fame in the XVIII century. Entire factories for the production of ceramic products worked in Moscow. Earthenware dishes dispersed among the population at a fast pace and enjoyed incredible popularity. Products from different factories differed among themselves. So, the craftsmen of Grebenshchikov manufactory painted dishes on raw enamel. The faience of the Kuznetsov Partnership was distinguished by multi-colored glaze coatings, voluminous reliefs or printed drawings. The Gzhel factory produced products mainly of blue color, as well as with gold painting.
Konakovsky faience
A great development in the production of earthenware was made by M. S. Kuznetsov, who bought a porcelain factory in the city of Konakovo in 1870. He mainly produced earthenware dishes with hand-painted or printed designs. After about 20 years, Kuznetsov began to manufacture dishes from semi-faience, porcelain and ceramics. Since the mid-20s. XX century, the plant began to attract the best artists and makers to create beautiful drawings on the dishes and the creation of animal sculptures. Their works were in demand, which, in turn, contributed to the expansion of production.
Over time, artists managed to create a certain style for their products: organically shaped earthenware objects played with cheerful, vibrant painting and flowing glaze. Konakovsky faience was exported to many countries. Some products have been safely preserved to this day.
Semikarakorsk ceramics
Semikarakorsky faience is a vivid artistic phenomenon of the Don land. The Rostov region has been manufacturing ceramics since ancient times. Many archaeological finds indicate the existence of artisanal pottery workshops in Semikarakorsk since pre-Christian times.
The artistic style of the Semikarakor faience is distinguished by original painting, bouquet-plant ornaments, natural subjects, and historical motifs. Masters in their drawings managed to convey all the beauty and power of their land, Don traditions, the spirit of the Cossacks.
Due to the high level of artistic skill, Semikarakor faience is considered a work of art all over the world.
Types of Faience Products
Nowadays, faience is used almost everywhere. This is due not only to its cheapness, but also to the simplicity of manufacturing such products. The most commonly used dishes are made from faience: salad bowls, plates for snacks and for second courses, deep bowls, herring, coasters for bread and pastries, sauces, broth vases and tureens, cups for hot drinks, milk jugs, mugs, saltcellars and sugar bowls. Often these days in shops you can see a large assortment of architectural elements made of earthenware, tiles, toilet bowls. Such interior items testify not only to the good taste of the owner, but also to his financial well-being.
How to make earthenware dishes
To create faience, two components must be used: quartz and refractory white clay. The process of manufacturing a ceramic product begins with processing the latter. So, the clay mass is fired several times at a temperature of 1050 º, during which it should change color. Then, at a temperature of 950 º, colored or transparent glaze is applied. At the final stage, re-firing is done. As a result of such exposure, the earthenware mass remains porous and suitable for decorating with drawings. If faience is burned at low temperatures, it will be better to retain intense underglaze paints.
Thus, the material goes through many stages of processing until finished faience is obtained. The photo of the plate making process illustrates the subtlety of this process.
Earthenware Plumbing
Recently, sanitary ware from faience has become increasingly popular. Its production takes place on a different technology than the manufacture of dishes or figurines. To create high strength material, the products are coated with special glaze. With proper and careful operation, earthenware sanitary ware can last long enough, while it will look the same as at the time of purchase.
How to distinguish faience from porcelain
Many do not know how porcelain differs from faience, and are often confused, although there is a certain difference between them. Earthenware products are characterized by a low degree of whiteness, greater wall thickness and lower strength. Finished items differ in smooth shapes. Compared to china, earthenware dishes are unable to retain heat for a long time. In addition, such products do not withstand high temperatures. If you wash the dishes in hot water, they may crack. Therefore, in many cases, it is more practical to use porcelain tableware.
To understand well how porcelain differs from faience, you can compare products made from these materials. The first and important difference is the sonorousness of the subject. It is easy to knock on the edge of the plate. Porcelain will make a long and distinct hum. At the same time, faience will ring with a dull sound.
Also, faience can be determined by external signs. Dishes made of this ceramic do not allow light at all. This is because the products are fired at a relatively low temperature. A significant difference is the smooth bottom surface of the dishes. Sometimes you can notice small depressions that formed during firing. For comparison, the bottom of porcelain is always rough.
Owners of earthenware dishes should be more careful about it and monitor its condition. When cracks appear, it is undesirable to use such products, since pathogenic bacteria penetrate into the pores of faience and can provoke the development of various diseases.
How to care for faience
Like any dishes, earthenware products require some care. Given all the properties of this material, it is very important to adhere to the rules of operation in order to extend the life of the faience.
The most important rule is that faience products can only be washed in warm water, and rinsed in cold. In the case of using hot water, small cracks form on the dishes and the structure of the material is disturbed.
Detergents, especially powders, are best avoided. To brighten the darkened earthenware dishes, you can use a solution of drinking soda or salt with vinegar in a ratio of 1: 1. Particularly carefully should be taken care of products with gilding. The fact is that the drawings that adorn the earthenware are coated with glaze. Therefore, after repeated washing, they are preserved in their original form. As for gilding - it is applied over the glaze and gradually erased from regular use. Therefore, places decorated with gold paint can not be rubbed heavily, it is better to use a soft cloth or sponge. You can remove stains from earthenware products with a rag dipped in a small amount of ammonia.
Despite the advantages of porcelain, people still continue to buy earthenware. This encourages ceramic manufacturers to manufacture new products for a wide variety of purposes.