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40-533: Usage and definitions of the term vary, such as: Glazed architectural terracotta and its unglazed version as exterior surfaces for buildings were used in East Asia for centuries before becoming popular in the West in the 19th century. Architectural terracotta can also refer to decorated ceramic elements such as antefixes and revetments , which had a large impact on the appearance of temples and other buildings in

80-445: A ceramic glaze. Terracotta sculptures in the West were rarely left in their "raw" fired state until the 18th century. Terracotta female figurines were uncovered by archaeologists in excavations of Mohenjo-daro , Pakistan (3000–1500 BCE). Along with phallus-shaped stones, these suggest some sort of fertility cult. The Burney Relief is an outstanding terracotta plaque from Ancient Mesopotamia of about 1950 BCE. In Mesoamerica ,

120-526: A decorative skin. It featured widely in the 'terracotta revival' from the 1880s until the 1930s. It was used in the UK, United States , Canada and Australia and is still one of the most common building materials found in U.S. urban environments. It is the glazed version of architectural terracotta ; the material in both its glazed and unglazed versions is sturdy and relatively inexpensive, and can be molded into richly ornamented detail. Glazed terra-cotta played

160-575: A significant role in architectural styles such as the Chicago School and Beaux-Arts architecture . The material, also known in Great Britain as faience and sometimes referred to as "architectural ceramics" in the USA was closely associated with the work of Cass Gilbert , Louis Sullivan , and Daniel H. Burnham , among other architects. Buildings incorporating glazed terra-cotta include

200-411: A speciality of terracotta temples, with the sculpted decoration from the same material as the main brick construction. Terracotta tiles have also been used extensively for floors since ancient times. The quality of terracotta floor tiles depends on the suitability of the clay, the manufacturing methods (kiln-fired being more durable than sun baked), and whether the terracotta tiles are sealed or not. In

240-534: A very early date. The famous Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang , 209–210 BCE, was somewhat untypical, and two thousand years ago reliefs were more common, in tombs and elsewhere. Later Buddhist figures were often made in painted and glazed terracotta, with the Yixian glazed pottery luohans , probably of 1150–1250, now in various Western museums, among the most prominent examples. Brick-built tombs from

280-400: Is a limit on the stress that can be imposed on terracotta, and terracotta statues of unsupported standing figures are limited to well under life-size unless extra structural support is added. This is also because large figures are extremely difficult to fire, and surviving examples often show sagging or cracks. The Yixian figures were fired in several pieces, and have iron rods inside to hold

320-520: Is placed in a kiln or, more traditionally, in a pit covered with combustible material, then fired . The typical firing temperature is around 1,000 °C (1,830 °F), though it may be as low as 600 °C (1,112 °F) in historic and archaeological examples. During this process, the iron oxides in the body reacts with oxygen, often resulting in the reddish colour known as terracotta . However, color can vary widely, including shades of yellow, orange, buff, red, pink, grey or brown. A final method

360-486: Is seasonal, reaching its peak during the harvest festival, when new pottery and votive idols are required. During the rest of the year, the makers rely on agriculture or some other means of income. The designs are often redundant as crafters apply similar reliefs and techniques for different subjects. Customers suggest subjects and uses for each piece. To sustain the legacy, the Indian Government has established

400-614: Is to carve fired bricks or other terracotta shapes. This technique is less common, but examples can be found in the architecture of Bengal on Hindu temples and mosques. Terracotta is not watertight , but its porousness decreases when the body is surface-burnished before firing. Glazes can used to decrease permeability and hence increase watertightness. Unglazed terracotta is suitable for use below ground to carry pressurized water (an archaic use), for garden pots and irrigation or building decoration in many environments, and for oil containers, oil lamps, or ovens. Most other uses require

440-660: The Aphrodite Heyl ; the Romans too made great numbers of small figurines, which were often used in a religious context as cult statues or temple decorations. Etruscan art often used terracotta in preference to stone even for larger statues, such as the near life-size Apollo of Veii and the Sarcophagus of the Spouses . Campana reliefs are Ancient Roman terracotta reliefs , originally mostly used to make friezes for

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480-562: The Gupta period and the centuries immediately following it. Several vigorous local popular traditions of terracotta folk sculpture remain active today, such as the Bankura horses . Precolonial West African sculpture also made extensive use of terracotta. The regions most recognized for producing terracotta art in that part of the world include the Nok culture of central and north-central Nigeria ,

520-543: The Han dynasty were often finished on the interior wall with bricks decorated on one face; the techniques included molded reliefs. Later tombs contained many figures of protective spirits and animals and servants for the afterlife, including the famous horses of the Tang dynasty ; as an arbitrary matter of terminology these tend not to be referred to as terracottas. European medieval art made little use of terracotta sculpture, until

560-517: The Ife - Benin cultural axis in western and southern Nigeria (also noted for its exceptionally naturalistic sculpture), and the Igbo culture area of eastern Nigeria, which excelled in terracotta pottery. These related, but separate, traditions also gave birth to elaborate schools of bronze and brass sculpture in the area. Chinese sculpture made great use of terracotta, with and without glazing and color, from

600-638: The Sanskriti Museum of Indian Terracotta in New Delhi . The initiative encourages ongoing work in this medium through displays terracotta from different sub-continent regions and periods. In 2010, the India Post Service issued a stamp commemorating the craft which shows a terracotta doll from the craft museum. Glazed architectural terracotta Glazed architectural terra cotta is a ceramic masonry building material used as

640-683: The Woolworth Building in New York City and the Wrigley Building in Chicago . Glazed architectural terra-cotta offered a modular, varied and relatively inexpensive approach to wall and floor construction. It was particularly adaptable to vigorous and rich ornamental detailing. It was created by Luca della Robbia (1400–1482), and was used in most of his works. Terra-cotta is an enriched molded clay brick or block. It

680-590: The classical architecture of Europe , as well as in the Ancient Near East . This article covers the senses of terracotta as a medium in sculpture, as in the Terracotta Army and Greek terracotta figurines , and architectural decoration. East Asian and European sculpture in porcelain is not covered. Prior to firing, terracotta clays are easy to shape. Shaping techniques include throwing , slip casting as well as others . After drying, it

720-399: The 19th century, the possibilities of terracotta decoration for buildings were again appreciated by architects, often using thicker pieces of terracotta and styled surfaces. The American architect Louis Sullivan is well known for his elaborate glazed terracotta ornamentation, designs that would have been impossible to execute in any other medium. Terracotta and tile were used extensively in

760-540: The Roman Emperors adorning Hampton Court Palace , by Giovanni da Maiano , 1521, were another example of Italian work in England. They were originally painted but this has now been lost from weathering. In the 18th-century unglazed terracotta, which had long been used for preliminary clay models or maquettes that were then fired, became fashionable as a material for small sculptures including portrait busts. It

800-452: The Romans and is seen nowhere else in the country. Contemporary centres for terracotta figurines include West Bengal , Bihar , Jharkhand , Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu . In Bishnupur , West Bengal, the terracotta pattern–panels on the temples are known for their intricate details. The Bankura Horse is also very famous and belongs to the Bengal school of terracotta. Madhya Pradesh is one of

840-402: The baking time, the colour differed from red to light orange. The Satavahanas used two different moulds- one for the front and the other for the back and kept a piece of clay in each mould and joined them together, making some artefacts hollow from within. Some Satavahana terracotta artefacts also seem to have a thin strip of clay joining the two moulds. This technique may have been imported from

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880-461: The fingers, allows the artist to take a more free and flexible approach. Small details that might be impractical to carve in stone, of hair or costume for example, can easily be accomplished in terracotta, and drapery can sometimes be made up of thin sheets of clay that make it much easier to achieve a realistic effect. Reusable mold-making techniques may be used for production of many identical pieces. Compared to marble sculpture and other stonework,

920-418: The finished product is far lighter and may be further painted and glazed to produce objects with color or durable simulations of metal patina. Robust durable works for outdoor use require greater thickness and so will be heavier, with more care needed in the drying of the unfinished piece to prevent cracking as the material shrinks. Structural considerations are similar to those required for stone sculpture; there

960-599: The great majority of Olmec figurines were in terracotta. Many ushabti mortuary statuettes were also made of terracotta in Ancient Egypt . The Ancient Greeks ' Tanagra figurines were mass-produced mold-cast and fired terracotta figurines, that seem to have been widely affordable in the Hellenistic period , and often purely decorative in function. They were part of a wide range of Greek terracotta figurines , which included larger and higher-quality works such as

1000-587: The late 14th century, when it became used in advanced International Gothic workshops in parts of Germany. The Virgin illustrated at the start of the article from Bohemia is the unique example known from there. A few decades later, there was a revival in the Italian Renaissance , inspired by excavated classical terracottas as well as the German examples, which gradually spread to the rest of Europe. In Florence , Luca della Robbia (1399/1400–1482)

1040-685: The leading commercial architects of the time in the city, Norris was strongly influenced by trends in American architecture and used faience on projects such as the Nicholas Building and the Kellow Falkiner Showrooms (a 1928 car showroom) in South Yarra . In Sydney , it featured on notable buildings such as BMA House, designed by Joseph Charles Fowell . Australian-made tiles were available from Wunderlich Tiles ,

1080-420: The little town of Terra Cotta in the heart of Illinois dairy country (near Crystal Lake, Illinois ). The company fabricated architectural terra cotta for more than 8,000 buildings throughout the U.S. and Canada. It was the last exclusive manufacturer of architectural terra cotta by the time it ceased production in 1966. From its founding, in time to rebuild the fire-ravished city of Chicago, until its closing, it

1120-412: The material to be glazed, such as tableware, sanitary piping, or building decorations built for freezing environments. Terracotta will also ring if lightly struck, as long as it is not cracked. Painted ( polychrome ) terracotta is typically first covered with a thin coat of gesso , then painted. It is widely used, but only suitable for indoor positions and much less durable than fired colors in or under

1160-510: The most famous is The Abduction of Hippodameia depicting the Greek mythological scene of a centaur kidnapping Hippodameia on her wedding day. Terracotta tiles have a long history in many parts of the world. Many ancient and traditional roofing styles included more elaborate sculptural elements than the plain roof tiles , such as Chinese Imperial roof decoration and the antefix of western classical architecture . In India West Bengal made

1200-598: The most prominent production centres of terracotta art today. The tribes of the Bastar have a rich tradition. They make intricate designs and statues of animals and birds. Hand-painted clay and terracotta products are produced in Gujarat . The Aiyanar cult in Tamil Nadu is associated with life-size terracotta statues. Traditional terracotta sculptures, mainly religious, also continue to be made. The demand for this craft

1240-463: The outside of buildings, as a cheaper substitute for stone. Indian sculpture made heavy use of terracotta from as early as the Indus Valley civilization (with stone and metal sculpture being rather rare), and in more sophisticated areas had largely abandoned modeling for using molds by the 1st century BCE. This allows relatively large figures, nearly up to life-size, to be made, especially in

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1280-423: The reputation of the material. By about 1930, the widespread use of concrete and Modernist architecture largely ended the use of terracotta in architecture. As compared to bronze sculpture , terracotta uses a far simpler and quicker process for creating the finished work with much lower material costs. The easier task of modelling, typically with a limited range of knives and wooden shaping tools, but mainly using

1320-573: The structure together. Terracotta has been a medium for art since the Harappan civilization, although techniques used differed in each time period. In the Mauryan times, they were mainly figures of mother goddesses, indicating a fertility cult. Moulds were used for the face, whereas the body was hand-modelled. In the Shungan times, a single mould was used to make the entire figure and depending upon

1360-427: The town buildings of Victorian Birmingham , England. Terracotta was marketed as a miracle material, largely impervious to the elements. Terracotta, however, can be damaged by water penetration, exposure, or failure through faulty design or installation. An excessive faith in the durability of the material led to shortcuts in design and execution, coupled with a belief that the material did not require maintenance, tainted

1400-484: Was a sculptor who founded a family dynasty specializing in glazed and painted terracotta, especially large roundels which were used to decorate the exterior of churches and other buildings. These used the same techniques as contemporary maiolica and other tin-glazed pottery . Other sculptors included Pietro Torrigiano (1472–1528), who produced statues, and in England busts of the Tudor royal family. The unglazed busts of

1440-595: Was easier to handle, quickly set and lower cost. The cost of producing the blocks, when compared to carving stone, was a considerable saving, especially when casts were used in a modular fashion—that is, used repeatedly. It never needed paint, and periodic washings restored its appearance. Variations in the color and pattern of the glaze could make it look like granite or limestone ; this flexibility helped make it attractive for architects. Four major types of terra-cotta were widely used The American Terra Cotta Corporation, founded in 1881, operated for eighty-five years in

1480-594: Was much easier to work than carved materials, and allowed a more spontaneous approach by the artist. Claude Michel (1738–1814), known as Clodion , was an influential pioneer in France . John Michael Rysbrack (1694–1770), a Flemish portrait sculptor working in England, sold his terracotta modelli for larger works in stone, and produced busts only in terracotta. In the next century the French sculptor Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse made many terracotta pieces, but possibly

1520-708: Was the major producer of architectural glazed terra cotta in North America. Guastavino tile was used in many places, including the Bridgemarket under the Manhattan side of the Queensboro Bridge . Although glazed terra-cotta was much more common in the US, it was used in central Canada starting around 1900, on many of the area's first skyscrapers. The glazed terra-cotta used in central Canada

1560-524: Was usually hollow cast in blocks which were open in the back, with internal stiffeners called webbing, substantially strengthening the hollow blocks with minimal weight increase. The blocks were finished with a glaze, with a clay wash or an aqueous solution of metal salts, before firing. Late 19th-century advertising for the material promoted the durable, impervious and adaptable nature of glazed architectural terra-cotta. It could accommodate subtle nuances of modeling, texture and color. Compared with stone, it

1600-523: Was usually imported from the US or England. From around 1880 unglazed terra-cotta was supplanted by the glazed version - faience, and glazed brick - which were easily cleaned, and not blackened by city smoke. A prominent producer was Burmantofts Pottery in Leeds, which also exported to Paris and Montreal . Faience was popularised in Melbourne in the 1920s by architects such as Harry Norris . One of

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