pottenbakkunst

Pottenbakkunst, or pottenbakkunst in Dutch, is the craft and art of making objects from clay through forming, drying, firing and glazing. It covers functional ware such as bowls, jugs and tiles as well as sculptural pieces. Techniques include wheel throwing, hand-building, and slip casting, and the work is finished with glazes and surface decoration.

Historically, ceramics are among the oldest crafts. In the Netherlands, pottenbakkunst developed with regional centers like Delft, Gouda and Amsterdam. Delftware, or Delft aardewerk, became famous in the 17th century for tin-glazed white earthenware decorated with cobalt blue motifs, drawing on Chinese porcelain and Japanese patterns through trade.

Materials and processes: clays, feldspars and silica are shaped and dried before firing in kilns. Firing temperatures categorize pottery into earthenware (low fire), stoneware (high fire) and porcelain (very high). Common techniques include wheel-throwing, hand-building, ribbing, trimming, and decorative methods such as slip trailing, sgraffito and glazing. Glazes create durable finishes and color effects.

In the modern era, pottenbakkunst encompasses studio pottery and contemporary ceramics, merging craft with design and sculpture. It remains both a functional discipline and a field of visual art, with practitioners worldwide.