Castilla Ceramics
We reclaim handmade antique and vintage Spanish pottery
Hand-painted Spanish Pottery of Castilla
Castilla pottery is the most heterogeneous among the ceramic traditions on the peninsula. Rolling upward from Toledo to the shores of Cantabria, this region has shifted under different rulers, moved borders and absorbed the best of its neighbors.
Decorative Castilian Pottery in Blue
Castilian Pottery: The Spanish Answer to Delftware
Castilla pottery is the most heterogeneous among the ceramic traditions on the peninsula. Rolling upward from Toledo to the shores of Cantabria, this region has shifted under different rulers, moved borders and absorbed the best of its neighbors.
Just like the Dutch, Castilla potters learned the art of tin-glaze blue ceramics from Portuguese imports of Chinese porcelain to Europe. Enthralled with its lustre and all-over decoration, European potters began to make regional versions to rival Ming pottery. While certain motifs are reminiscent of Chinese kraakware and Delftware, others have a distinctly regional flavor.
Handmade in Castilla, the Pámpano Ceramic vase celebrates the region’s extensive wine country. Soft grape wine tendrils or pámpanos decorate the body of the vessel.
Hand-painted in the traditional blue over white glaze, its long stem accentuates the deep bowl and round foot, giving the vase a statuesque silhouette.
Used to wash hands before and after meals, this ewer was once an essential part of tableware. In Castilla, 16th century etiquette allowed commensales to eat with their bare hands as the use of individual silverware was not yet common.
Relieved of its hygienic duties, this vase now makes an excellent pot for short-stemmed blooms. Its striking form has also turned into an original bottle cooler.
Dimensions: 15 x 20 cm | 6 x 8 in
Care: Dishwasher safe, hand-wash preferable
Traditional Castilian Pottery in Green
The Distinguishing Mark of Castillan Pottery
Perhaps the most singular contribution from Castilla potters is the polychromatic green series.
Taking inspiration from Italian majolica, they transposed landscape scenes worthy of the canvas onto ceramics, thus introducing narrative to Spanish pottery.
Beyond static decorative motifs, the scene tells a story.
A lebrillo or pitcher might feature human figures striding in the foreground, birds and quadrupeds frolicking among the trees under feathery clouds with small towns in the background.
Though first made in the blue and white palette, the prolix use of green in the late 17th century came to define the style.
This large jug is a traditional Spanish cántaro once used to store water or wine. We find this form in 17th century paintings by the likes of Murillo and Velázquez, attesting to its important role in domestic spaces.
Our Liebre cántaro features its namesake, a spritely hare, leaping through the field of trees and shrubs. In line with this style of ornamentation that has come to characterize Castilian pottery, the jug features a lush landscape painting done in the traditional palette where green dominates.
In modern times, glass bottles and running water have displaced this jug in its utilitarian role. Now, valued for its aesthetic value, cántaro jugs are also of ethnographic interest as they chronicle a way of life that defined society for centuries.
Dimensions: 21 × 30 cm | 8.3 × 12 in
Care: Dishwasher safe, hand-wash preferable
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This vintage decorative plate features a composition typical in Spanish pottery from Castilla-La Mancha. Palm fronds in pastel maroon, orange, green and blue decorate the edge of the bowl.
Framed within a band of scrolls, a central motif emerges: a 6-petal flower outlined in blue and orange lines and filled in with solid yellow.
Signed JSA, possibly for painter Javier Sánchez Álvarez.
Dimensions: 23 cm in diameter x 5cm deep
Hanging your decorative plate: A small incision in the foot of the plate allows for hanging. Our heavier items like lebrillos require a wall mount.
Kindly Note: Small chips and discolouration are part of the charm of handmade antique and vintage pottery. For questions or specific sourcing requests, please get in touch.