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The ceramic pineapple art form was first discovered in the valleys of central Mexico around 1930. Today they continue to be expertly designed by only a few skilled artisan families; a tradition passed on for a few generations now. These dark green glazed pineapples are not often seen outside of this area and are highly appreciated for their uniqueness as well as for their elegant beauty.
As in the majority of ceramic art forms of Mexico, the work first begins by collecting chunks of clay with picks and shovels from deposits most often found far away from the villages. The clay is then transported back to the artisan's home in sacks carried by donkeys or mules where it is cleaned, grinded, and sifted, and then formed into pancake sized pieces kept humid under damp rags until ready for use. The first step in creating the pineapple is to mold the outline of the pot - a job in itself. But it's the distinctive appliqué work that takes immeasurable amount of work to create. Each miniature scale adhered to the pineapple is hand molded of clay and affixed piece by piece to the mold with great expertise and patience; a large sized pineapple sometimes having thousands of these! The designs chosen depend on the mood of the artisan; sometimes flowers, sometimes leaves, sometimes tiny scales. Upon completion of the pineapples' body the artisan designs a befitting cover, often with spiky leaves burgeoning upwards. Once the ceramic pineapple has been created, it is then allowed to dry, but never in the sun for it will crack; it is then fired in a homemade kiln. After it has been cooked for the first time, the artisan applies the infamous green glaze that the pineapples are most often distinguished for, on occasion a blue or a more natural yellow glaze will be chosen. The piece is then fired for a second time at 900 degrees Celsius until it reveals the desired radiance. Throughout history, the pineapple has been regarded as the international symbol of hospitality and welcome to any home. The green ceramic pineapples of Michoacan require exceptional mastery to create and are an example of one of Mexico's most stunning ceramic art forms. |
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