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Ceramics: definition, history and classification

Knowing which family a piece belongs to helps decide how to restore it.

What is meant by ceramics

A ceramic is an object shaped from clay or earth and then fired at varying temperatures.

Firing sometimes leaves the material porous, so that it absorbs water. To prevent this, the surface can be covered with a glaze, which vitrifies when fired and closes the pores.

In 1854, Alexandre Brongniart put forward a classification of ceramics. It distinguishes four main families, presented below: terracotta, earthenware, porcelain and stoneware. A book on the subject can be read online: view the book on Google Books.

A white plaster statue of a small winged cupid seated on a rock with a finger to its lips, in front of a brick wall.

The four families

  • A brown terracotta statuette of a nude woman, her broken head set beside a base decorated with animals in relief.

    Terracotta

    Fired clay, often left unglazed and therefore porous.

  • An old blue and white earthenware plate with a stylised peacock and floral motifs on the rim, on a plain background.

    Earthenware

    Porous body covered with a glaze that carries the decor.

  • A large Imari-style porcelain dish with blue, red and gold floral motifs and a scene of figures near a fence, on a white background.

    Porcelain

    White, fine and hard body, fired at a high temperature.

  • Top view of a glazed terracotta pot with a thick beige rim and a glossy red-brown interior, on a white background.

    Stoneware

    Dense body, fired at a high temperature, often glazed.

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