Molds

 Thinking about historical potters, it struck me that there had to be some uniform way to create plates or bowls so that they were the same (or nearly the same) size and dimensions each time or if they were made by different potters in the workshop.  What is the easiest way to create something to be consistent and uniform? Use a mold of some sort!  

Today, I made two plates that were the same size and shape through the use of a drape or hump mold.  This is a mold where a slab (flat sheet of clay) is draped over the top and shaped to the mold. 

Piccolpasso would have used either a plaster or wooden mold in his workshop. These would have been most likely purchased from another shop, especially the wooden molds.   I could have chosen to use a plaster mold, however, I know that plaster can chip and become less durable over time.  If plaster gets into the clay it can also make the clay explode.  I chose to use a wooden mold in order to make the plates.  

Another benefit to the use of molds for plate or bowl making, besides the uniformity, is the fact that pieces could be made considerably quickly when compared to throwing on the wheel.   Many times studios were commissioned to create massive amounts of pottery for a patron and so work needed to be turned out quickly. In addition pieces of ceramic were possible to be broken, and pieces needed to be replaced, so using molds this helped to speed up the process of making the pieces.  

Jennie Young (1898) addresses mold use in pottery from around the world, and Italian pottery is no different in the use of molds in the creation of wares - from vases to plates to bowls.  

Young, Jennie. The Ceramic Art. Harper & Brothers, New York. 1898.