Bowl; Manises, XVII century.

Bowl; Manises, seventeenth century.
Glazed ceramic with metallic luster.
Presents reeds, hair, picket and enamel losses.
Measurements: 7 x 32,5 cm.
The ceramics of metallic luster will be the great art of the Nasrid period, although it was born in the Spain of the Almohad period, between the second half of the XII century and the first half of the XIII century. In later times it will have special development in Manises, where the Hispano-Muslim tradition will continue in both the technical and decorative aspects. It is a glazed ceramic, that is to say, with a white enamel bath, very pure in the best examples, which is fired in the kiln. On it, once cold, it is decorated with a pigment composed of five basic ingredients: copper, silver, sulfur, almazarrón (iron oxide) and vinegar. The final tone will depend on the proportion of these components, resulting more golden if it has a greater amount of silver, and more reddish if copper predominates. Finally, the piece is fired a second time at 650ºC, in a reducing atmosphere, to fix the decoration. Once the piece is fired, the decoration is black, so it has to be burnished to obtain the final shiny metallic gold tone.