Spouted bacon bowl

On Friday the group from La Meridiana went to The Faenza International Museum of Ceramics. There was a nice selection of contemporary ceramics that have been chosen in the Italian Biennale. We then had a guided tour with a person that spoke beautiful English and was very knowledgeable about ceramics and the collection.
Just like The Ontario Royal Museum they display all the fancy stuff. The beautiful folk pottery pre Renaissance was only a small part of the collection but the part most interested me and I think most of the students. Once again Religion messed with the minds of the artists. The work became very over done and for my taste this stuff would swear at your dinner. Food would not look good on the ceramics of the Renaissance period.
I went back to look once again at the pots of the 13th century. I found myself asking the stupid question "what is this pot used for?" Our guide gave me that look that told me the answer I give when people ask me the stupid question- What can I use this for??? My answer is always "Bacon, of course!"
A wonderful bacon bowl

I was so happy to see that back almost 700 years ago there was a fellow bacon lover and he put a spout on the pot. I am inspired to make some.
Actually it came as no surprise that many of my forms were copied by these dudes in my other life.
I then asked if these pots that I loved were influenced by the Sancai (3 colours)  pots of China.  The guide answered of course the history of ceramics always leads us to China.  Italy was route for the silk trade from the Far East.
I love the strength of this rim.

Pie crust rim and a handle man. I do love this bowl!!!

Sadly the Faenza Museum was bombed and levelled during WW 2. Many of the pots have had a museum restoration. War and religion sure have left their mark on ceramics.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Bacon the food of the Gods!

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