Majolica is a way of decorating earthenware with a white, opaque tin-style glaze and then painting colours on top of the unfired glaze, so the brushwork fuses into the surface in a single low firing.
What Is Majolica?
The technique spread through Europe from the Islamic world and became famous in Renaissance Italy, where it was called maiolica; similar ware is known as faience in France and delftware in the Netherlands. Traditionally the white glaze was opacified with tin oxide, and today zircon opacifiers are often used instead.
Painting onto raw glaze takes a confident hand. The glaze surface is powdery and absorbent, so each brushstroke soaks in immediately and can’t be wiped away cleanly. Potters use colour stains mixed with a little frit or glaze so the colours melt into the white base in the firing.
Majolica is usually fired at earthenware temperatures, around cone 05 to 04, which keeps the colours bright. The white glaze needs to be stiff enough not to run, or the painting will blur. Commercial majolica glazes and paints are available, and many studios offer the technique as a decorating workshop.
Because it is earthenware, majolica tableware relies on a sound, crack-free glaze for durability, so it is best glazed fully and treated a little more gently than stoneware.
This pottery glossary entry from Le Studio Art Space is general educational content. Always follow the clay, glaze and kiln makers’ data for your own materials and equipment.