The History of Ceramics

How did Europe become obsessed with porcelain? And who would win the race to discover the secret formula for this “white gold?” In this episode Paul Greenhalgh and Stephanie Rozene travel from Marco Polo’s China to the courts and palaces of Europe, where this mysterious material bewitched all those that encountered it. Artworks featured in this episode: King Louis XIV King William III & Queen Mary II A late 17th-century engraving of a porcelain room in the style popularised by Mary II Courtesy of The Met Collection Porcelain Room, Charlottenburg Palace, Berlin, Germany Marco Polo Unglazed Ewer (Earthenware) 9th–10th century Courtesy of The Met Collection Francesco de' Medici, 1541—87 Bowl with Variation of 'Baba Nakkas' Design, Circa 1500—25 Courtesy of The Met Collection Iznik Mosque Lamp (Turkey) 1585—95 Courtesy of The Cleveland Museum of Art Potpourri jar (France)Circa 1690—95 Courtesy of The Met Collection Terracotta Jug, Circa 1400–1190 BC Courtesy of The Met Collection Maiolica Plate (Italy), Circa 1500 Courtesy of The Met Collection Handled Vase (Spain), 17th Century Rouen Faience Jug (France), Circa 1720 - Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Pilgrim Flask (Italy), Circa 1580, Medici Porcelain Manufactory King Augustus II the Strong, 1670–1733 To see images of the artworks in this episode go to heni.com/thehistoryofceramics or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene Additional Research: Catherine Ingram Editor: Alessandro Ruocco Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: White Gold - The Race for Porcelain 00:01:00 Porcelain Fever: Europe's Obsession with China 00:04:12 The Magical Properties of Porcelain 00:06:20 Status Symbol of Monarchs: Porcelain Rooms and Collections 00:08:34 The Portuguese Trade Route and China's Monopoly 00:09:57 Marco Polo and the Mystery of Porcelain 00:15:02 What Porcelain Actually Is: The Science Revealed 00:19:04 Early European Attempts: Medici Porcelain and Soft Paste 00:21:36 The Failed Experiments: Grinding Shells and Burying Clay 00:25:58 Tin Glaze Traditions: Maiolica, Faience, and Delftware 00:30:02 The Race Intensifies: Setting Up for Discovery

How did Picasso discover pottery? And how did he transform the fortunes of an ancient town in the process? Join Paul Greenhalgh and Stephanie Rozene to discuss Picasso’s life in the South of France just after the Second World War where he found a new and exciting creative outlet bringing together painting and sculpture and in doing so transformed the history of art. Ceramics and artwork in this week’s episode include: Guernica, 1937 by Pablo Picasso Head Plate, 1957 by Pablo Picasso "Tete au Masque" Plate, 1956 by Pablo Picasso Owl Pitcher, 1957 by Pablo Picasso Three Sardines, 1947 by Pablo Picasso Bull In The Arena, 1948 by Pablo Picasso Vase with Two High Handles, The Queen, 1953 by Pablo Picasso To see images of the artworks in this episode go to heni.com/thehistoryofceramics or visit the HENI Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene Additional Research: Catherine Ingram Editor: Alessandro Ruocco Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: Picasso the Potter 00:00:53 The Dark Years: Picasso During World War II 00:05:27 Discovering Vallauris: A Holiday That Changed Everything 00:07:41 The Madoura Pottery and First Experiments 00:11:23 Working with Clay: Technique and Collaboration 00:14:04 Picasso's Ceramic Vocabulary 00:22:11 Domestic Life and the South of France 00:28:10 Jacqueline Roque and New Beginnings 00:31:42 Revitalizing Vallauris: Community and Legacy 00:34:29 What Picasso Did for Ceramics

What was the first piece of pottery that humans ever made? What does it reveal about our earliest ancestors? In this episode Paul Greenhalgh and Stephanie Rozene travel back to the earliest civilisations to find out how they created the very first ceramic objects and what that meant to the story of mankind. Ceramics and artwork in this week’s episode include: Venus of Dolní Věstonice, 29,000—25,000 BC Vestonicka venuse edit by Petr Novák, Wikipedia Source - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vestonicka_venuse_edit.jpg For the full legal code, see the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5 Generic license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/legalcode.en Vestonicka venuse back by Petr Novák, Wikipedia Source - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vestonicka_venuse_back.jpg For the full legal code, see the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5 Generic license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/legalcode.en Fire-Flame Cooking Vessel, 2750—2500 BC Deep Vessel with Decorative Handles, 3500—2500 BC Met Museum Bell Beaker, 2475–1800 BC Bell Beaker Rijksmuseum of Oudheden by Gary Todd Source - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bell_Beaker_Rijksmuseum_of_Oudheden.jpg For the full legal code, see the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 Unported https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en To see images of the artworks in this episode go to heni.com/thehistoryofceramics or visit the HENI Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks Hosts: Paul Greenhalgh & Stephanie Rozene Additional Research: Catherine Ingram Editor: Alessandro Ruocco Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: How Ceramics Changed History 00:02:13 Clay vs Ceramic 00:04:50 The Oldest Writing About Potters 00:06:58 The Venus of Dolni Vestonice: The First Ceramic Object 00:12:41 How Early Societies Discovered Ceramic Technology 00:15:32 The First Pots: From China to Japan 00:17:58 The Jomon People 00:19:24 Jomon Pots: Decoration, Function, and Meaning 00:25:01 Fire, Food, and Transformation 00:25:57 Nomadic Potters 00:32:00 Pottery as Archaeological Evidence 00:33:12 The Bell Beaker People of Britain 00:35:25 Ceramics as a Mark of Civilization 00:37:21 An Ancient Technology Still in Use Today