sgraffito ware
Quick Summary
Sgraffito is an art technique, originating from the Italian word for "scratched," used in painting, pottery, and glass. It involves applying a preliminary surface, covering it with another layer, and then scratching through the top layer to reveal the color beneath.12
In pottery, this means scratching through a colored slip to expose the underlying clay body. Sgraffito ware was notably produced by Islamic potters and became widespread in the Middle East. It was also a feature of 18th-century English stoneware and was made by German settlers in colonial America. This technique was also used in fresco painting, where layers of colored plaster were scratched to reveal underlying hues, and in stained glass, where colored glass was scratched to show clear glass.13
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
potteryIncising, sgraffito, carving, and piercingSgraffito ware was produced by Islamic potters and became common throughout the Middle East. The 18th-century scratched-blue class of English white stoneware is decorated with sgraffito patterns usually touched with blue.
Read MoreSgraffito ware was produced by Islamic potters and became common throughout the Middle East. The 18th-century scratched-blue class of English white stoneware is decorated with sgraffito patterns usually touched with blue.
Read More- potteryKorea
Sgraffito decoration, in which patterns were incised through a grayish-white slip, is also seen occasionally.
Read MoreSgraffito decoration, in which patterns were incised through a grayish-white slip, is also seen occasionally.
Read More
