Tiles and Ceramics of Talavera de la Reina, Spain

Talavera de la Reina is the place where the famous blue and yellow "talavera" tiles were first made. Both the technique and the tradition of covering church domes and walls with colorful tiles traveled to the Americas with the colonial Spaniards. Architectural and artistic tiles are still made in Talavera today. The colorful sculpture on the right may be seen while driving through Talavera de la Reina.
 
Artesanía Talaverana is located at 36 Avenida de Portugal, Tel: 925 802 737. Their web page includes contact information. The virtual studio tour below demonstrates most of the steps involved in producing a piece from beginning to end.

Original designs on paper are approved by clients before proceeding with commissions.

Base glaze is applied by hand to damp, bisqued tiles.

Excess glaze is cleaned off the back of the tiles with a wet, slow-moving belt.

Edges are touched up with a glaze-charged paint brush.
 

Pierced patterns and transfer powder

The tiles are placed on an easel and hand painted in the studio.
 

Plaster molds are used to form some three-dimensional pieces.

Colorful glaze is hand painted over the base glaze.

Pieces are fired in an electric car kiln.

Artesanía Talaverana Showroom.

LINKS:  
Tiles and Ceramics of Seville   
Earthenware Ceramics of Ubeda, Spain 
Monje Ceramics of Lora del Rio, Spain
Earthenware Tiles of Portugal  
Majolica Ceramics of Caldas da Rainha, Portugal  
Blacksmithing in Andalucia, Spain   
Sculpture of Seville, Spain  
Silversmithing of Seville, Spain 
Metal Spinning of Seville, Spain
Marquetry of Granada, Spain
Capelo of Guanajuato, Mexico
Angelica Escarcega Rodriguez of Guanajuato, Mexico
José Luis Méndez Ortega of Guanajuato, Mexico
Guevara Ceramics of Guanajuato, Mexico
Tecpatl Ceramics of Guanajuato, Mexico
 Maya Reproductions of the Yucatan
 Pottery of Western Cameroon
Traditional Dunzi Production in Yaoli, China
Porcelain production in Jingdezhen, China
Roof Tiles in Bali, Indonesia  
History of Mayolica in Spain and Mexico
 Carol Ventura's Home Page 

Hit Counter

Web page, photographs, and text by Carol Ventura.