Terracotta

The famous Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, 209–210 BCE, was somewhat untypical, and two thousand years ago reliefs were more common, in tombs and elsewhere.

[16] Brick-built tombs from the Han dynasty were often finished on the interior wall with bricks decorated on one face; the techniques included molded reliefs.

Later tombs contained many figures of protective spirits and animals and servants for the afterlife, including the famous horses of the Tang dynasty; as an arbitrary matter of terminology these tend not to be referred to as terracottas.

European medieval art made little use of terracotta sculpture, until the late 14th century, when it became used in advanced International Gothic workshops in parts of Germany.

[1] A few decades later, there was a revival in the Italian Renaissance, inspired by excavated classical terracottas as well as the German examples, which gradually spread to the rest of Europe.

In Florence, Luca della Robbia (1399/1400–1482) was a sculptor who founded a family dynasty specializing in glazed and painted terracotta, especially large roundels which were used to decorate the exterior of churches and other buildings.

The unglazed busts of the Roman Emperors adorning Hampton Court Palace, by Giovanni da Maiano, 1521, were another example of Italian work in England.

In the 18th-century unglazed terracotta, which had long been used for preliminary clay models or maquettes that were then fired, became fashionable as a material for small sculptures including portrait busts.

In India West Bengal made a speciality of terracotta temples, with the sculpted decoration from the same material as the main brick construction.

James Taylor was one of the first producers of architectural terracotta to find success in the United States, using his experience manufacturing the material in England to guide his work in North America.

[10] The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 led to increased demand for fireproof materials in urban settings, and helped drive the following push for architectural terracotta throughout North America.

The material remained popular through the early 1900s, with its versatility allowing it to support a variety of architectural styles such as Rennaissance revival, neo-Gothic, and Art deco.

[10] The clays are usually fired to or near vitrification in order to survive continued exposure to harsh outdoor conditions such as freeze-thaw cycles and salt intrusion.

[10] Contrary to popular belief, glazing does not seal terracotta from water penetration and a non-porous clay body is necessary to prevent failure from these issues.

[34] As compared to bronze sculpture, terracotta uses a far simpler and quicker process for creating the finished work with much lower material costs.

The easier task of modelling, typically with a limited range of knives and wooden shaping tools, but mainly using the fingers,[35] allows the artist to take a more free and flexible approach.

Small details that might be impractical to carve in stone, of hair or costume for example, can easily be accomplished in terracotta, and drapery can sometimes be made up of thin sheets of clay that make it much easier to achieve a realistic effect.

Compared to marble sculpture and other stonework, the finished product is far lighter and may be further painted and glazed to produce objects with color or durable simulations of metal patina.

Robust durable works for outdoor use require greater thickness and so will be heavier, with more care needed in the drying of the unfinished piece to prevent cracking as the material shrinks.