Ceramic pots, especially those with a decorative purpose, originating from prosperous centers, enjoyed a wide circulation on the Transylvanian territory, being distributed mainly through regional fairs. Thus, the piece we are presenting, although collected from Hațeg country, was made in the Turda pottery center.
The provenance of the vase is revealed by the configuration of the decoration organized in three registers, with a bouquet of flowers as the central motif, and also by its colors - blue and green on a white background - colors specific to the pieces made by the Turdeni potters’ guild in the second half of the 19th century.
The pots of this type are wheel-shaped, engobed, decorated with the potter’s brush and horn and subjected to the first burning. Later they are glazed with lead enamel and burnt a second time.
The plate in the image, with inventory no. 57, had a strictly decorative function, a fact also attested by the presence, on its bottom, of a perforated protrusion that allowed the pot to be tied so that it could be hung on the wall.
Text: Cristian Micu – MET museographer, expert
Photo: George Ciupag – MET, photo-video museographer