More than five centuries of pottery tradition.
Pottery in l’Alcora
When the Count of Aranda set up the Royal Earthenware and Porcelain Factory in l’Alcora, he focused on some advantages that this town had: proximity to the sea (which benefited the export) and an important pottery sector which meant plenty of raw materials (clay, firewood, water) and also skilled labour that could be in charge of some departments of their factory (potter’s wheels, kilns, clay preparation…).
The 18th century probably was the best moment for pottery in l’Alcora. During this century there were in l’Alcora more than 20 pottery shops, tile shops and brick shops working at the same time and coexisting with the Royal Factory. But this sector was originated earlier: in the late 16th century there were 8 potters in l’Alcora, and the first documented potter was Baltasar Llidó (1546). Two lineages stand out in the long history of local pottery: the Redolats, with 12 generations of potters and brick-makers (from 1578 to the decade of the 50s), and the Nomdedéus, the last potters in l’Alcora, who closed their workshop in 2002 after 7 generations and more than 200 years of profession.
Pottery collection
L’Alcora’s extensive pottery tradition is represented in the Museum by a complete collection of the production of the Nomdedéu’s family workshop: more than a hundred illustrative pieces of the numerous usages popular pottery had: pitchers and marraixes for water, large earthenware jars for oil, lebrillos used in pig slaughter, troughs and water troughs for barnyard animals, washing bowls, etc. In addition to these recent production pieces, the Museum also exhibits antique extraordinary pieces, for example two large earthenware jars for oil, with a capacity of 800 litres from the mid-19th century which were produced in the Aicart’s workshop; two large earthenware jars for wine from Gabriel Redolat’s workshop (late 16th century) which were recovered from the vault of La Sangre church, a large earthenware jar for oil signed by Pere Joan Nomdedéu from 1925 and some roof tiles from Josep Montañes’ workshop, from the second half of the 18th century and which were also recovered from La Sangre church.
The collection is completed with the equipment of the Nomdedéu Medina brothers’ workshop which closed its doors in 2002. The equipment consists of all the tools needed in pottery: kiln pitchforks and spades, modelling sticks and needles, lebrillos used in ceramic glazing, carrilets and falquetes to load the kiln, discs or rodells used in the throwing of the pieces… The most remarkable tool is a potter’s wheel from the Royal Factory which was purchased by Pere Joan Nomdedéu in 1944 and which is dated from the late 19th century (judging by the wear of both sides of the lower wheel generated by the foot’s pressure).
When the Count of Aranda set up the Royal Earthenware and Porcelain Factory in l’Alcora, he focused on some advantages that this town had: proximity to the sea (which benefited the export) and an important pottery sector which meant plenty of raw materials (clay, firewood, water) and also skilled labour that could be in charge of some departments of their factory (potter’s wheels, kilns, clay preparation…).
The 18th century probably was the best moment for pottery in l’Alcora. During this century there were in l’Alcora more than 20 pottery shops, tile shops and brick shops working at the same time and coexisting with the Royal Factory. But this sector was originated earlier: in the late 16th century there were 8 potters in l’Alcora, and the first documented potter was Baltasar Llidó (1546). Two lineages stand out in the long history of local pottery: the Redolats, with 12 generations of potters and brick-makers (from 1578 to the decade of the 50s), and the Nomdedéus, the last potters in l’Alcora, who closed their workshop in 2002 after 7 generations and more than 200 years of profession.
Pottery collection
L’Alcora’s extensive pottery tradition is represented in the Museum by a complete collection of the production of the Nomdedéu’s family workshop: more than a hundred illustrative pieces of the numerous usages popular pottery had: pitchers and marraixes for water, large earthenware jars for oil, lebrillos used in pig slaughter, troughs and water troughs for barnyard animals, washing bowls, etc. In addition to these recent production pieces, the Museum also exhibits antique extraordinary pieces, for example two large earthenware jars for oil, with a capacity of 800 litres from the mid-19th century which were produced in the Aicart’s workshop; two large earthenware jars for wine from Gabriel Redolat’s workshop (late 16th century) which were recovered from the vault of La Sangre church, a large earthenware jar for oil signed by Pere Joan Nomdedéu from 1925 and some roof tiles from Josep Montañes’ workshop, from the second half of the 18th century and which were also recovered from La Sangre church.
The collection is completed with the equipment of the Nomdedéu Medina brothers’ workshop which closed its doors in 2002. The equipment consists of all the tools needed in pottery: kiln pitchforks and spades, modelling sticks and needles, lebrillos used in ceramic glazing, carrilets and falquetes to load the kiln, discs or rodells used in the throwing of the pieces… The most remarkable tool is a potter’s wheel from the Royal Factory which was purchased by Pere Joan Nomdedéu in 1944 and which is dated from the late 19th century (judging by the wear of both sides of the lower wheel generated by the foot’s pressure).
| Título | ||
| Objeto | Tinaja de aceite | |
| Autor | Taller de la familia Aicart | |
| Descripción | ||
| Dimensiones | Altura: 123 cm | |
| Cronologia | Mediados siglo XIX | |
| Inventario | MCA752 |