Introduction
Lustre has a special place in the history of ceramics. The technique of
reduction-fired lustre is one of the least controllable used in ceramics
and the circumstances of its discovery are remarkable. As the technique
travelled from its birthplace in the Middle East over 1,200 years ago, through
North Africa to Europe, it brought into being some of the most fascinating
decorated ceramics in history.Seeing a kind of alchemy at work, kings and caliphs, princes and other wealthy patrons caused beautiful objects to be made. These treasures now survive in the world's leading museums and collections. Lustre also adorns some of the oldest and finest mosques of the Islamic world and has its place too in Christian art.
Failsafe
but bland lustres developed during Europe's Industrial Revolution have never
rivalled the traditional technique for its beauty and interest. For potters
today, making traditional reduction-fired lustre is as challenging as ever
and so contemporary ceramics of this kind are rare and special.
