Ceramic glaze

Description

A thin, vitreous, opaque coating fired on the surface of a ceramic body to add color, texture, and/or water resistance. The glaze is typically a colored glass-forming mixture that is applied to the surface of a fired ceramic piece. The ceramic is then refired at a temperature that vitrifies the glaze, but is lower than the original firing temperature. Ceramic glazes are usually mixtures of silicates, colorants, and flux. Examples include: alkaline glaze, ash glaze, Bristol glaze, crystalline glaze, celadon, oxblood, peach bloom, lead glaze, matte glaze, raw glaze, salt glaze, slip glaze, and tin glaze.

Synonyms and Related Terms

glaçure céramique (Fr.); vidrado cerâmico (Port.)

Authority

• Ralph Mayer, A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques, Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1969 (also 1945 printing)

• Robert Fournier, Illustrated Dictionary of Practical Pottery, Chilton Book Company, Radnor, PA, 1992

• Encyclopedia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com Comment: "traditional ceramics." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2005. Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service 4 Feb. 2005 .

• Art and Architecture Thesaurus Online, http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/aat/, J. Paul Getty Trust, Los Angeles, 2000