National Crafts Museum & Hastkala Academy

Title : Painted Pitcher

Accession No : 57/12/35 (2)

Terracotta Pitcher has a flat base and deep, narrow-mouthed vessel. It has ring like design across the body painted with white colour.

Socio economicTerracotta is clay-based ceramic pottery known for its expression of the human mind for ages. According to Hindu beliefs, this ancient form is considered auspicious for incorporating all the five classical elements of nature, namely, air, water, earth, fire, and space. Tracing back to its history, Terracotta models were found in abundance from the sites of Indus Valley Civilization like Birhana, Mehrgarh, Harappa, Mohenjodaro, etc. which dates backs to around 7000 BC. Slowly it was welcomed by Indian households in the form of kitchenware and other utility products, and gradually growing into homemade art and pottery. States like Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh still cherish their cultural heritage that propagates around Terracotta art, with distinctive crafts like hand-made jars, embroidered rooftops, and lanterns.
ArtisticThe name Terracotta is derived from the Latin words ‘terra’ meaning ‘bake’ and ‘cotta’ stands for ‘earth’, which together translates to baked earth. These potteries are glazed or unglazed versions made from clay that has been dried and fired at 1000°C, resulting in distinct colors of orange, red, brown, yellow or gray. Once burned, it is cooled and brought to normal temperature by covering it in the sand. Therefore its color depends on both the type of clay used as well as the firing process.

DescriptionTerracotta Pitcher has a flat base and deep, narrow-mouthed vessel. It has ring like design across the body painted with white colour.
Inscription/Markings No
Reference"Chattopadhaya, Kamaladevi. Handicrafts of India. New Delhi: Indian Council for Cultural Research, 1975. Jain, Jyotindra and Aarti Aggarwala. National Handicrafts and Handlooms Museum, New Delhi. Ahmedabad: Mapin Publishing Pvt. Ltd., 1989."
KeywordPitcher, Vessel, Pottery, Utensils, Painted