From 1850 until the 1920s, highly decorative Majolica ceramics were nothing short of a craze. Makers were initially inspired by Italian Renaissance maiolica and French Palissy ware, and the molded earthenware — made in England and the United States — was fanciful yet practical, whimsical yet drawn from nature. An exhibition of 380 pieces on four floors, including many designed for serving oysters, asparagus, celery, berries and tea, will be on display at the Bard Graduate Center on the Upper West Side from Sept. 24 to Jan. 2, 2022. It will then go to the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore (Feb. 27 to Aug. 7, 2022). In addition to pieces for serving food, there are purely ornamental items, like a life-size peacock. The fashion for Majolica died down with changing tastes and also the use of lead glazes in the manufacture.
“Majolica Mania: Trans-Atlantic Pottery in England and the United States 1850-1915,” timed tickets required, Bard Graduate Center, 18 West 86th Street, 212-501-3023, bgc.bard.edu.
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