On our recent shopping trip to France, while visiting the Marche des Puces (flea market) in Paris, we came across a porcelain cabinet (wardrobe) loaded with different styles of French earthenware. As we looked through all of this brilliantly colored pottery, we came up with the long, rich and important tradition that the faience producing cities of France have in making this beautifully painted earthenware.
What is earthenware, exactly? It is a type of pottery covered with a tin enamel varnish. After being painted, the ceramics are fired in an oven at an extremely high temperature to harden the enamel into a glass-like substance. It is a process perfected in the 15th century by the Italians who called it “majolica”. Itinerant Italian potters brought their knowledge to France and Germany, and to Holland, where it was called “Delft”.
One of the reasons for the popularity of earthenware in France was the Louis XIV edition, at the beginning of the 18th century, which prohibited anyone from owning gold or silver tableware. Precious metals were confiscated to bolster both the war effort and extravagant spending at court. Ceramics were a logical substitute, and traditional forms of metal items were copied into earthenware.
In France, many fairies (faience factories) were established, the most famous in the cities of Quimper, Never, Rouen, Lyon, Marseille and Moustiers. To be successful, the city had to have a source of wood ready to light the kilns, a river to transport the finished product, and a labor force to draw from.
Between the different localities there were similarities and differences in the production of faïence. While each area developed its own style, factories borrowed stylistic elements from other areas, and similarities in color and shape crossed borders. Most plates have sleek, wavy outer edges. The firing process with the enamel glazes and extremely high heat produced the color palette of bright yellows, cobalt blues, reddish oranges, yellowish greens, and black accents on a white background. These are the colors that we most associate with earthenware, although we also find blue and white schemes and others with yellow backgrounds. In the mid-18th century, a process that used lower cooking temperatures produced more subtle colors.
The mainstay of earthenware production is utilitarian ceramics: plates, jugs, tureens, bowls and pharmacy jars. For years, the main consumers were the French themselves; they used the dishes daily. More decorative and unusual pieces such as commemorative plates and clocks were made in good economies, but in a recessionary economy they were eliminated first.
The town of Quimper, in the northwestern province of Brittany, has one of the most charming and distinctive styles of faience. Isolated from its neighbors by location and terrain, each town in Brittany developed a distinctive style of dress. (An intricate system of symbols controlled how costumes were worn. For example, the brim of a man’s hat turned in a certain way indicated whether he was married or available.) In the mid-19th century, these various styles of peasant dress were incorporated into the patterns we associate with Quimper today. Other predominant designs represented village artisans such as spinners, fishermen, weavers, and musicians. Religious scenes like processions and weddings were also favorite subjects.
Additionally, crests of armor are frequently seen on the edges of Quimper plates, the most popular being those of Anne of Brittany, the last Duchess of Brittany (Brittany). She fought to keep Britain independent, but was forced, under the terms of a losing war, to marry the King of France. Therefore, their land came under French rule. In his honor, a crest of ermine tails is displayed on many Quimper earthenware.
Our study of earthenware now takes us to the city of Rouen. The capital of Normandy, in northern France, has a fascinating history. Not only has it been a center for faience production since the 1520s, it was here that Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. Much later, Monet lived near Giverney and his painting “Catherdrales de Rouen” testifies to the city’s fame as the “City of Towers.”
In the early 16th century, a single faience factory was established to produce wall and floor tiles in many of the Renaissance castles that were being built in the area. Later other factories arrived.
One of the most interesting projects of the Rouen fairies was commissioned by Louis XIV. Inspired by the writings of Jan Nieuhoff, the king decides to build the Porcelaine Trianon in the garden of Versailles. It was a French Chinese-style building. In 1665, Nieuhoff, an employee of the Dutch East India Company, wrote a travel journal of his trip to China. His depiction of China as an earthly paradise so captivated Louis XIV that the king commissioned a five-story building with balustrades made of porcelain vases and a blue-and-white tile roof. Unfortunately, the earthenware of Rouen could not withstand the French winters: eventually, the building collapsed.
The motifs used in Rouen earthenware are different from the peasant motifs associated with Quimper earthenware or the nature-inspired sculpted designs of Palissy Ware. Although the colors are the same as other tin enamels (strong yellows, blues, oranges on a white background), there have been several different styles over time.
There is much evidence of Chinese influence brought about both by Nieuhoff’s writings and by the support of the king. From 1660 to 1730, small repeated scalloped motifs called lambrequins were borrowed from K’ang Hsi designs in China and combined with edging tendrils and field designs, producing an overall delicate and symmetrical pattern. This became known as the radiant style. The Chinoise style, which appeared in 1730, favored scenic oriental designs of pagodas, dragons, and peacocks, executed in traditional earthenware colors.
Two original Rouen patterns were inspired by two very different art forms. L’Ocre Neille used closisonne (inlaid enamels) to create thick black lines that form patterns on a solid background, usually yellow. The shapes were swirling arabesques or small geometries. Ironworks, however, was inspired by metalwork and grating patterns; if it presents a symmetrical but more open and larger-scale pattern.
The art and production of earthenware throughout France were affected by both local and international factors. The colors associated with earthenware were determined by the technical constraints of tin enamels, and as technology improved, so did the number of colors and the complexity of the designs. Local forests were needed for fuel supply. As they sold out, the factories closed.
The cities were known for specific earthenware motifs, whether inspired by regional costumes, as in Quimper, or by creative factory artists. In Rouen, as communications and trade with neighboring countries expanded, so did external influences on pottery production. Interaction with China had far-reaching influences on the earthenware motifs. The import of English porcelain – much finer in appearance and decoration – and its popularity in France, began to make a dent in the sale of china. To compete, some factories tried to modify the traditional look with a more refined product.
Today, however, earthenware is still made in France, using centuries-old patterns and motifs. The bold colors and rustic feel complement our casual lifestyle and popularity of French country design.
