Talavera - Mexico’s Gift To The Ceramic World
by Habeeb Salloum
 Browsing in the
Handicraft Market in Puebla, the most Spanish of Mexican towns, I was
amazed and thrilled by the attractive bowls, plates, pottery, tiles and
many other ceramic items artfully exhibited in the shops.
 Outside,
strolling the streets of the historic section of town, I was overwhelmed
by the artistic hand-painted ‘Talavera’ tiles with which a good number
of the colonial buildings are adorned. They gave church domes, doors,
façades, fountains, rooftops, walls and window frames a seductive aura.
It seemed to me that a part of Spain’s Andalusia had been transported to
Mexico.
 The
Symbol of Puebla, the capital of the state with the same name, these
tiles have an interesting history, which go back to Moorish Spain. The
Arabs established the trade of ceramics in all parts of the Iberian
Peninsula during the 800 years they remained in that part of Europe.
They had inherited the art from the Persians, who had themselves,
inherited it from the Chinese, and then brought it to, and developed it
in the Iberian Peninsula.
After the Muslims were expelled from Spain, the Christian Spaniards
carried on the trade. Later, in the 16th century, settlers, famous for
their manufacture of ceramics, emigrated from the Spanish city of
Talavera de la Reina and brought the expertise of making ‘Talavera’
ceramics to Puebla - a city which was to be for them and their
descendants an excellent choice.
 Before the Spanish conquest
of Mexico, the Indians in their 400-temple sacred city of Cholula, on the
outskirts of Puebla, were noted for their manufacture of pottery. It is said
that Montezuma would only eat off plates made in Cholula - the finest in his
empire. Hence, when the settlers from Talavera brought the craft of glazing
fire-baked clay to the New World, they found skilled workers who quickly
learned the trade and soon ‘Talavera’ became the most representative craft
in the city.
 With the passage of time,
the Spanish art of glazing was greatly improved on by the Indian workers.
This apparently annoyed the Spanish authorities who ordered the Indian
artisans to lower the quality of their work in order not to have it look
superior to that produced in Spain.
 Today,
Puebla’s Talavera craftsmen are still producing ceramics, with only slight
changes in shapes and designs, in the same way as they were
hand-manufactured by their ancestors some 400 years ago. These ceramics are
made from two types of clay, which are kneaded, then modeled by hand on the
lathe or by use of clay molds. After the cups, plates, large china vases and
jars, all types of tiles and numerous other items are formed, they are left
to dry from eight to twelve weeks. Once dry, they are baked at about 850° C
until their grayish hue turn to a brick colour.
 Each
item is then hand-dipped in an earthenware glaze and baked at a high heat
for a second time to give it the Talavera colour and shine. Thereafter, one
at a time, each article is hand-painted with mule-hair brushes by
experienced artisans who use only natural mineral based colours, of which
there are only five: blue, black, green, yellow and reddish-pink. Finely,
the items are glazed fired at about 1050° C for some 16 hours to obtain the
unique ‘Talavera’ shine which will last, even if exposed to outdoor weather
changes, almost forever. The excellent quality of these products reflects a
perfect blend of indigenous and colonial influences.
 In Puebla there are at least
five factories producing ‘Talavera’ ceramics, considered to be superior to
the Spanish original. The most famous of these is Uriarte Talavera whose
products are world-famous. In
this establishment, neither modern technology nor time has changed the
process of producing ‘Talavera’. Since 1824, when Mr. Dimas Uriarte bought a
pottery workshop, its workers have continued the tradition of making the
authentic product. Uniarte has preserved, with very little change, the
striking Puebla ceramics with an illustrious past. Each piece of their huge
output continues to be a unique work of art.
 One of the finest products
of Uriarte and the other ceramic factories in Puebla is the majolica-type
‘Talavera’ china, which, with its Chinese figures, stylized birds and other
designs, displays Asian and Spanish influences. This china, with its blue
color on a white background, is characterized as porcelain of glazed
metallic tincture. It is one of the most important of the Mexican ceramic
arts and enjoys great worldwide reputation.
Since
1997, to preserve the ‘Talavera’ name, the state of Puebla has declared that
the Origin Denomination for ‘Talavera’ is reserved for only four regions:
Puebla, Cholula, Atlixco and Tecali. In order to help preserve this artistic
art par excellence, the original technique as well as the exclusivity of the
‘Talavera’ name, the authorities of the state are trying to ensure that
‘Talavera’ ceramics continue to retain their outstanding international
prestige. Visitors should be aware that to be considered authentic, Talavera
must bear the sign of the workshop where it was produced.
IF
YOU GO
Tips:
1) The
official Mexican currency is the peso currently trading at around - 12.75
pesos to a US dollar – 12 pesos to a CDN dollar.
2)
Puebla’s tourist facilities are excellent, the city is safe and the climate
all year-round is very agreeable.
3)
Puebla is noted for its cuisine - visitors should try: cemita, toasted bread
rolls with cheese, chilli, chicken and vegetables; camotes, a local fruit
made from sweet potatoes and fruit; and Pan árabe taco, Puebla’s improvement
on the taco. An excellent place to try local dishes is at the Fonda Santa
Clara - a fine reasonably priced eating-place.
4) When
you leave Mexico there is a ‘Departure Tax’ of about $18.00 US per person,
but
the tax is usually included in your airline ticket.
Some of the Important Sites in Puebla:
Museo
Amparo - housed in an 18th century building, it contains an extraordinary
collection of Prehispanic art.
Iglesia
de San Francisco - has a beautiful Churrigueresque façade.
Casa de
los Muecos - exhibits the early use of Talavera ceramics to decorate the
outside of buildings with lay themes.
Capilla
del Rosario - part of the Iglesia de Santo Domingo, it constitutes the
greatest achievement of the Baroque art in New Spain and is classified as
one of the wonders of the world.
Uriarte
Talavera Factory - an authentic ceramic and tile factory, founded in 1824,
it is a great tourist stopping point.
Santa
Rosa Museum - boasts a splendid cloister and one of the most beautiful
fountains in Puebla. Also, its Talavera-tiled kitchen is a favoured tourist
attraction.
Barrio
del Artista - a picturesque colonial corner with studios of artists.
Principal Theatre - considered to be the oldest theatre in the Americas.
African
Safari - a drive-through Safari Park containing a wide variety of wild
animals, running free, from around the world.
For Further Information, Contact:
In
Canada contact the Mexican Tourism Board - 2 Bloor St. West, Suite 1502,
Toronto, Ontario M4W 3E2. E-mail:
toronto@visitmexico.com. Also Toll free number: 1-800-44 MEXICO.
Web:
or
E-mail: contact@visitmexico.com;
in the U.S.A. 375 Park Avenue, Floor 19, Suite 1905, New York, NY 10152,
USA. Tel: (212) 308 2110. Fax: (212) 308 9060.
E-mail:
newyork@visitmexico.com
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