Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How do earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain differ in pottery sculpture?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Sculpture
Visitors viewing A Subtlety, or the Marvelous Sugar Baby, a sugar-coated polystyrene sculpture by Kara Walker, 2014, part of a temporary installation at the former Domino Sugar Refinery in Brooklyn, New York.
In pottery sculpture, the primary differences between earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain lie in their composition, firing temperatures, and resulting physical properties, such as porosity and translucency.12
- Earthenware: This is a non-vitrified, porous, and relatively soft material. Because it is not fired to the point of vitrification, it remains slightly porous and coarser than the other two types. It is often glazed to seal its surface and provide impermeability, making it practical for various uses. Sculpture created in low-fired clays is frequently referred to as terra-cotta.132
- Stoneware: This material is fired at high temperatures until it becomes vitrified, meaning it is glasslike, hard, and impervious to liquid. While usually opaque, it can be thinly potted to achieve some translucency. Because it is nonporous, it does not require a glaze for functional purposes, though glazes are often applied for decoration.14
- Porcelain: This is a fine-textured, vitrified, and translucent material. It is created by adding substances like feldspar to the clay and firing it at very high temperatures. It is known for its strength, chemical inertness, and ability to be formed into complex shapes.125