Once again the 3 Musketeers (Jan, Merle and Peg) enjoyed our monthly Hub Mystery.
As we entered the Davis Museum at Wellesley College we were greeted by our docent, Semente, who presented us with a museum souvenir bag. Then she led us to one of the current exhibitions, “Nevers in the World.” This is a collection of French ceramics that shows how artistic innovation can flourish through exchange with different cultures. During the 17th and 18th centuries artisans in Nevers, France created extraordinary ceramic vessels using a technique called faience. Invented in 8th century Iraq, craftspeople discovered that adding tin to ceramic glaze produced an opaque, white surface suitable for colorful decoration. This method spread across Asia and Europe, becoming known as maiolica in Italy and as faience in France. By the 17th century, European demand for Chinese porcelain led artisans in Nevers to create imitations in faience. They developed a distinctive style which became very popular during the reign of Louis XIV.
As we viewed the collection at the Davis, which began with very plain, simple pieces, our docent encouraged us to notice how later created pieces became much more elaborate. The number of colors increased as more dyes were discovered and symbols relative to the era and country of origin indicated who made and used these pieces. It was fascinating to see how these pieces became more colorful, refined and diversified as knowledge and techniques advanced.
Our amazing docent encouraged us to tell her what we especially noticed in the pieces and she provided historical background, so we had a very interactive, informative morning. We then adjourned for a buffet lunch at the Wang Campus Center.
Peg T
