Maiolica in Miniature

July 29, 2016

During the Renaissance in Europe, owning colorful glazed pottery pieces known as maiolica (or majolica) was considered a sign of good taste and affluence. Named for the Spanish city of Majorca, this ceramic process made its way to Italy, France, and Mexico over the centuries. Maiolica’s intricate multicolored designs are created by applying a variety of metallic oxide glazes on top of a base layer of white glaze.

This miniature charger by Le Chateau Interiors was based on a full-scale 15th century charger at the J. Paul Getty Museum. In making the miniature, artist Jeffrey Guéno diverged from the traditional maiolica glazing process and applied both the white base glaze and colorful top glaze directly to the bisque pottery. Combining the layers allowed for the charger to retain the sharp details of the peacock feather pattern. Fine details are, after all, what make miniatures so spectacular!