Uriarte Talavera facts for kids
Uriarte Talavera is a famous company in Puebla, Mexico. They make beautiful pottery called Talavera. This company has been around since 1824. It began as a family business. Today, a larger group runs it. However, they still make Talavera pottery using old methods from the 1500s. Much of their work uses traditional colors and designs. The Mexican government can even give them special certificates. But Uriarte Talavera also tries new designs and shapes. They work with artists to create modern and artistic pieces.
Contents
History of Uriarte Talavera
Uriarte is one of Mexico's oldest Talavera pottery makers. Talavera is a type of majolica. It got its name from a city in Spain called Talavera de la Reina. This pottery style came to Mexico after the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire. Majolica was made in many places in Mexico. But it became very special in the Puebla area. This was especially true between 1650 and 1750.
Talavera pottery is special because of the fine clays found in Puebla. Workers fire the clay with a tin and lead glaze. This happens at very high temperatures. The glaze looks off-white or slightly yellow. Artists use only certain colors for decoration. These are black, cobalt blue, blue, yellow, green, red, and sometimes deep rose. The design slightly blends with the glaze. Real Talavera is still made by hand. They use the same methods from the 1500s.
By the early 1900s, this craft was becoming less popular. But after the Mexican Revolution, people needed tiles. Also, collectors became interested in the pottery. Big museums like the Metropolitan Museum of Art bought many pieces. In Mexico, a German-born man named Franz Mayer started collecting. In 1986, he opened his own museum. It has the world's largest collection of Talavera. There are 726 pieces from the 1600s to the 1800s.
The Uriarte workshop started in 1824. The Uriarte family bought a place called La Guadalupana. Dimas Uriarte was the first owner. The business stayed in the family until the late 1800s. They mostly made plates, cups, and later some tiles.
In 1897, an artist named Enrique Luis Ventosa came to Puebla. The Talavera craft was almost gone then. Uriarte was one of only six workshops left. Ventosa worked with Uriarte and others. He helped bring the craft back to life. By 1907, it was doing well again. In 1910, Uriarte added electricity to the workshop. This helped them make more pottery. It became the biggest and most famous workshop in Puebla.
In 1922, Ventosa started working with Ysauro Uriarte Martinez. Ysauro had just taken over Dimas's workshop. Ventosa focused on decorating the pottery. Uriarte shaped the pieces. Both men signed their work with special initials. They worked together to make everyday items better. They also created unique ceramic art. They added old Mexican art styles to the designs. These joined the Islamic, Chinese, and Italian influences already there. There was even a bit of Art Nouveau. They also tried new things. For example, they brought back an old shiny pottery style. They also fired glazes at different temperatures. This changed how the colors looked.
By 1923, Uriarte was one of only four workshops left. They had survived the Mexican Revolution. The family kept running the business until the early 1990s. Then, a group of business people bought it. In 1994, the company decided to open more stores. The first two were in Cancún and San Diego. Around this time, Uriarte also became one of the first workshops. They could get special government certificates for their real Talavera.
How Uriarte Talavera is Made
Uriarte makes about 20,000 pieces every month. About half of these are sent to other countries. These include the United States, France, Italy, Egypt, Australia, and Chile.
They still use methods from the 1500s. Their designs and processes are special. No two pieces are exactly alike. This is because they are made completely by hand. The whole process can take up to three months. About half the cost of each piece is for the work done by hand. Each piece has a serial number. Most pieces are signed by the artist who made them.
The workshop has worked with famous artists. These include José Luis Cuevas, Jan Hendrix, and Manuel Felguérez. They help create new designs. These designs are part of a collection called “Contemporary Talavera.” It includes work from 57 artists. They designed 130 pieces. Examples of these works have been shown in museums. You can see them in Mexico, the United States, and Canada.
Uriarte Talavera in Museums
You can see pieces from Uriarte in museums. They are in the Museo José Bello y Gonzalez in Puebla. They are also in the Franz Mayer Museum in Mexico City.
In 2012, Uriarte and the Franz Mayer Museum held an exhibition. It was called "El cinco de mayo de 1862. Uriarte Talavera Contemporánea." This means "May 5, 1862. Contemporary Uriarte Talavera." Many artists worked with Uriarte's craftspeople. They created 64 pieces and eleven murals. These were about the Battle of Puebla. This was to celebrate the battle's 150th anniversary. The exhibition was shown in Mexico, the United States, and Canada.
See also
In Spanish: Uriarte Talavera para niños
- List of Mexican artisans
