Terra cotta
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Sculpture of Hanuman in terra cotta. |
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The Bell Edison Telephone Building, Birmingham, England |
Terra cotta (
Italian: "baked earth") is a waterproof
ceramic. Its uses include vessels, water & waste water pipes and surface embellishment in
building construction. The term is also used to refer to items made out of this material and to its natural, brownish orange color.
Terra cotta has been used throughout history for
sculpture and
pottery, as well as
bricks and roof
shingles. In ancient times, the first clay sculptures were dried (baked) in the sun after being formed. Later, they were placed in the ashes of open hearths to harden, and finally
kilns were used, similar to those used for pottery today. However only after firing to high temperature would it be classed as a ceramic material
Significant uses of terra cotta have included Emperor
Qin Shi Huang's
Terracotta Army of China, built in
210–
209 BC. Mass producers of mold-cast and fired terracotta figurines were also the ancient Greeks of
Tanagra. American architect
Louis Sullivan is well-known for his elaborate
glazed terra cotta ornamentation, designs that would have been impossible to execute in any other medium. Terracotta and tile were used extensively in the town buildings of Victorian
Birmingham, England.
As compared to
bronze sculpture, terra cotta uses a far simpler process for creating the finished work. Reusable mold-making techniques may be used for series production. Compared to
marble sculpture and other stonework the finished product is far lighter and may be further glazed to produce objects with color or durable simulations of metal patina. Robust durable works for outdoor use require greater thickness and so will be heavier, with more care needed in the drying of the unfinished piece to prevent cracking as the material shrinks. Structural considerations are similar to those required for stone sculpture.
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List of colors*
Architectural terra cotta*
Glazed architectural terra cotta*
Article on terracotta in Victorian and Edwardian Terracotta Buildings
