Handicraft
From ancestral clay to the art of filigree, the pottery of Alba de Tormes endures as an emblem of tradition and creativity
Pottery tradition
The love of earthy entrails, of clay, is the ancestral origin of this Albense people, whose history runs parallel to the pottery, clay and all the creative expressions that its artisans manifest in their different modulations through time
Alba de Tormes has traditionally been a town dedicated to clay. Great masters of pottery have passed on the vocation and secrets of the profession from generation to generation, symbolizing a form of self-expression and making pottery the emblem of Albense culture.
For a long period of time, the pieces that were made had a markedly utilitarian character: pots, pots, jugs, plates, jars… At this time there were 40 potters who carried out their work through medieval work systems.
With the appearance of new materials, traditional pottery went into decline, so that in many other localities it even disappeared.
However, in Alba de Tormes, and thanks to the skill and dexterity of the potters, who have transformed their pots into pieces of art and decoration, there are still 3 potteries.
In addition to the utilitarian pieces, the original and exclusive filigree of the Ducal Villa has been introduced, thanks to the creative spirit of the artisans, famous for their skill in handling the wheel, who after a long learning process since childhood and with sacrificial dedication, manage to transmit the tradition to successive generations.
The future is in your hands.
Albense Pottery
Albense pottery stands out for the exclusivity of its works, a mixture of tradition and innovation.
It is the result of the union of several components that make it unique: the quality of the clay, the skill of the potters in the handling of the wheel and, especially, the decorative qualities incorporated even in works of a utilitarian nature.
Alba decorations are famous for the showiness and variety of their models.
There are numerous types of pieces of pots that we find, such as: those for consumption and preservation of food (pots, plates, basins, tureens..) pots for transport (pitchers, barrels, jugs, pots, barrels…) pots for the fire (pots, calvocheros…) or for other diverse uses (pots, urinals, toys..)
Several decades ago, filigree emerged as an evolution of the traditional procedure of roasting vessels by superimposing different levels of handles interspersed with figurines and ornaments on a plate or a pitcher, becoming the most representative and exclusive figure.
The Mud Process
Preparation, production, decoration and cooking
1 – Preparation of the mud
Albense pottery stands out for the exclusivity of its works, a mixture of tradition and innovation.
It is the result of the union of several components that make it unique: the quality of the clay, the skill of the potters in the handling of the wheel and, especially, the decorative qualities incorporated even in works of a utilitarian nature.
Alba decorations are famous for the showiness and variety of their models.
There are numerous types of pieces of pots that we find, such as: those for consumption and preservation of food (pots, plates, basins, tureens..) pots for transport (pitchers, barrels, jugs, pots, barrels…) pots for the fire (pots, calvocheros…) or for other diverse uses (pots, urinals, toys..)
Several decades ago, filigree emerged as an evolution of the traditional procedure of roasting vessels by superimposing different levels of handles interspersed with figurines and ornaments on a plate or a pitcher, becoming the most representative and exclusive figure.
2 – Making the piece
Usually, the potter places the bolus on the stand and turns it with his wet hands and then polishes and smooths it. The stand is the basis of the potter’s work, although he uses other techniques, such as the mold
The pieces are placed on a plank to be transferred to the drying room in order to lose moisture, and then aired in the sun.
Depending on the piece in question, the handles, feet, spouts or spigots are added.
The only utensils with which the potter is helped besides his hands, clay and water, are the heels (pieces of wood to stretch the clay), the pellejas (a piece of chamois to smooth the clay), the barb (a thin stick to remove excess mud), the wire (to separate the pieces from the stand)
When clay is brought to the pottery, it is time to transform it into a piece of art.
3 – The decoration
Considered of great beauty and quality, the decoration of the pieces is one of the reasons that have made the difference in Albense pottery.
The most characteristic method is the two-color decoration in clay and juaguete achieved from two types of natural engobes, the clay being reddish in color and the juaguete white.
When the piece is dry, it is decorated with one of the engobes depending on the color you want to give to the piece through the aguamanil (a brass container similar to a small watering can).
Once the vessel is made, it is glazed and left to dry to proceed with baking.
Other colours such as black achieved with manganese or the mottling of the pieces are also traditional.
4 – La cochura
In the past, the ovens were wood-fired and in the upper pit they could bake up to 1,500 pieces for 15 hours over a slow and constant heat.
When it reached the ideal temperature, the last calada was poured and left to cool until the next day… it is the moment when the potter sees his finished work satisfied.
As an example of the pottery link, Alba de Tormes is a founding member of the Spanish Association of Ceramic Cities.
