Lustre Decoration Research Articles

A Unique Iberian Majolica Fragment from the Marketplace of Győr (Hungary)

This paper explores the origin, chronology, and connections of a majolica vessel found during excavation in the marketplace of Győr. The piece is of exceptionally high quality and counts as exceptional in the archaeological record of Hungary. It is adorned with painted cobalt blue motifs and lustre decoration. Its analogies are known from major museums’ collections, including the Metropolitan Museum, the British Museum, and the Louvre. Based on these, its place and time of origin could be identified as the 15th-century Valencia in today’s Spain, more specifically, Manises (now a district of Valencia) and between the 1430s and 1450s (based on the detailed chronological framework established from excavation results in the area). According to written sources, ceramic vessels and architectural ceramics were produced in Manises, a workshop following Hispanic Moorish traditions, to be exported to distant lands and on the order by noble families and princely courts, thus influencing, for instance, the majolica production of Italy. Following the expansion of the Kingdom of Aragon during the reign of Alfonso V, the Manises ware also became important in the court in Naples. The diplomatic relations between the royal courts of Aragon and Hungary can be accounted for the appearance of such a vessel in the territory of the Kingdom of Hungary

Technology of production of Syrian lustre (11th to 13th century)

Lustre is a decoration consisting of a surface layer of silver and copper metal nanoparticles, a few hundreds of nanometres thick and incorporated into the glaze. It shows a colourful metallic and iridescent appearance which makes use of the quantum confined optical response of the metallic nanoparticles. Three apparently unrelated lustre decorations, yellow-orange golden (Tell Minis), a dark brown-reddish with iridescences (Raqqa) and yellow-brown golden (Damascus) were produced in the same area in successive periods over tin and lead-free glazes which is known to require specific strategies to obtain a metallic shiny lustre. The composition and nanostructure of the lustre layers are analysed and the materials and specific firing conditions followed in their production determined. The optical properties of the lustre layers have been analysed in terms of the nanostructure obtained and correlated to the specific processing conditions.

Characterization of glaze ceramics from the archaeological site of La Alcazaba, Almería (Spain)

The Alcazaba de Almería is one of the most impressive mediaeval remains in Al-Andalus. Its defensive walls are expression of the economic and strategic relevance of Almeria City during middle Ages. In the course of archaeological excavations in this monumental area, several glazed ceramic remains were found in the palatine area so-called second enclosure. They are dated back between the 10th and the 15th centuries and correspond to small fragments on which different decorative techniques can be identified: green and manganese, green glazed, cuerda seca total, Nazarí Black and White, lustreware and blue and lustre earthenware. Although only seven samples out of 35 selected samples have been analyzed, their interest lie on that they are the first analytical approach to the ceramics of this important archaeological site and the group is representative some of most typical decorative procedures employed in Al-Andalus.The combination of ion beam and nuclear non-destructive analytical techniques performed on these ceramics have allowed the discussion on several aspects of the production technology, as the use of raw materials, and the degradation processes suffered by them. Glaze composition is discussed first. It is characterized by high values of Pb, Sn, Na, K and Mg. Chromophores are identified and some raw materials are discarded (psilomelane for manganese black) or proposed (absolite, skutterudite and trianite for blue). Secondly, the most degraded samples are found to be characterized by high values of Cl, in an inverse relation with the content of Si. The surface of two samples with lustre decorations, one with Cu particles and one with Cu+Ag particles, are studied finding a progressive decrease of Pb in the surface. Finally, the pastes of the samples are characterized by high values of Ca with respect to other ceramics of the area. Similar values are found in ceramics from Manises and Sevilla. The case of a possible imported sample is also discussed.

Studying the effect of different glaze compositions on the formation and properties of silver and copper nanoparticles in lustre decoration

The aim of this work is to gain a further insight into the effect of different glaze compositions (lead-alkali and alkali) on lustre-decorated Iznik tiles by means of lustre colour and reflectivity. Primarily, lead-alkali and alkali-glazed traditional Iznik tiles, which have high quartz content body, have been produced using laboratory-controlled conditions. Lustre layer was formed on glazed Iznik tiles by ion-exchange mechanism comprise among the glaze and lustre paste during heat treatment (oxidizing and reducing atmosphere). Determination of the composition, nature and size of lustre layers with Ag/Cu nanoparticles were carried out by means of analytical techniques employed for advanced research on materials.

A Mediaeval Persian Treatise on Coloured and Enamelled Glass: Bayan Al-Sana'at

This paper presents and interprets the terms and concepts described by Hobaysh Teflisi in the twelfth century AD for making Islamic coloured and enamelled glass and lustre decorations. These descriptions comprise the fourth and fifth chapters of Bayan al-Sana'at, a book for “explaining crafts”. The instructions contained in these chapters can be considered as one of the first references on glass making and enamelling on glass in Persian literature. Although the recipes suggested by Teflisi demonstrate fairly accurate methods, materials and techniques, they are sometimes misleading and need to be interpreted based on technological and scientific investigations. The current paper provides an English translation of the two chapters of Bayan al-Sana'at and discusses the less common terms in another section of the paper—“Commentary on the translated chapters”. Another section of the paper—“Technical description of methods and materials”—is devoted to the technical contextualisation of the chapters.

Spectroellipsometric and ion beam analytical studies on a glazed ceramic object with metallic lustre decoration

In this work recently produced and commercially available glazed ceramic object with metallic lustre decoration was studied by using a spectroscopic ellipsometer with rotating compensator. The thickness and metal content of the surface lustre layers are determined by ion beam analytical techniques, i.e., Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and external beam particle-induced X-ray emission and the results were utilized in the construction of multilayer optical models for the evaluation and interpretation of the spectroellipsometric measurements.

Significant findings concerning the production of Italian Renaissance lustred majolica

In the present paper the main results obtained, over a period of more than ten years, from a series of studies concerning the characterization of Italian Renaissance lustred majolicas (from Gubbio and Deruta, Umbria, Italy) are presented. Lustre decoration is a well-known technique, consisting in the application of a thin metallic iridescent film, containing silver and copper nanoparticles, over a previously glazed ceramic object. The technique had its origin in Persia (IX century), was imported by Moorish in Spain, and then developed in central Italy during the Renaissance period.

Ceramic coatings in ancient times: high technology surface modification technologies

Ceramic coatings on ancient pottery, in particular black gloss, transparent glaze (first alkali based and then lead based) and opaque glaze (enamel) up to the lustre decoration, can be considered as the top technological skill of ancient ceramists. Indeed, their production demands the ceramist a thorough knowledge of pyrotechnology, including the ability to strictly control furnace atmosphere conditions. Several papers have dealt with the study of ceramic coatings, aiming to reconstruct the production technology and the modality of application and to define the relations between coating and ceramic body. These tasks are quite difficult to accomplish, also due to the very fine details of these surface layers. A multianalytical approach is therefore necessary, including conventional (scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive spectrometry, electron probe microanalyser and Raman) and high resolution techniques (high resolution TEM, synchrotron radiation source based diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy). Two case studies on different ceramic coatings are presented: black gloss pottery from Northern Etruria and Sienese ‘Archaic’ majolica from Tuscany.

Ceramics with metallic lustre decoration. A detailed study of Islamic productions from the 9th century until the Renaissance

This paper describes research on the technological evolution of glazed ceramics with a metallic lustre decoration starting from their emergence in the Near East until the Hispano-Moresque productions. That research covers the main known Islamic production sites and periods: Abbasid (Mesopotamia); Fatimid (Egypt); Timurid, Mongol, and Safavid (Iran); Ayyubid and Mamluk (Syria); Nasrid and Hispano-Moresque (Spain). It was allowed by the access to more than hundred full preserved objects or fragments supplied by French national museums (musee du Louvre DAI, musee national du Moyen-Âge, musee national de Ceramique). The characterisation of the composition and structure of the ceramics and of their decoration is mostly done through non-destructive analyses methods. The thickness and metal content of the surface lustre layers are quantified thanks to ion beam analyses performed on a particle accelerator: PIXE (particle-induced X-ray emission) for the terracotta and glazes composition and RBS (Rutherford backscattering spectrometry) for the thickness and metal content of the lustre surface layers. The preliminary results show that the features of the decorated ceramics have undergone dramatic variations when transmitted from a production to another, not only, as expected, in the composition of terracotta and glazes, but also in the thickness, the structure and the composition distribution of the lustre layers.

Thin coatings of ceramics: some new developments in France and in Europe

ABSTRACTThe aim of this paper is to focus attention on some current developments in the physical examination of decorative ceramic thin coatings performed in France and in Europe. Thanks to the recent progress in instrumentation and the implication of material science teams, significant new results were obtained concerning the finishing coatings of ceramic ware, and specially regarding the luster decorations of Islamic medieval potteries and the high gloss coatings of Greek and Roman ceramics.

THE EVOLUTION OF LUSTRE CERAMICS FROM MANISES (VALENCIA, SPAIN) BETWEEN THE 14TH AND 18TH CENTURIES

A set of 33 fragments of lustre-decorated ceramics uncovered during an archaeological excavation in Manises (Valencia, Spain) have been studied. These ceramics were produced in Manises from the 14th to the 18th century. This well-dated set of ceramic shards represents the diversity of Manises lustre production and is a complete time sequence of reference for the technological analysis. Texture analysis of the glazes has been carried out by SEM–EDAX, the inner and outer surfaces of the lustre decorations being analysed with non-destructive ion beams by PIXE and RBS, and also by high-resolution electron microscopy. The results are compared with other lustre productions and the time trend of the microstructures, glaze and lustre composition is analysed. It is concluded that Sn was used to opacify glazes until the beginning of the 17th century and that changes in the lustre microstructure occurred around ad 1500.

Color and Golden Shine of Silver Islamic Luster

Golden‐like luster decorations on glazed ceramics from early Islamic times (9–12th centuries AD) consist of a nanocomposite submicrometric layer made of silver metal nanoparticles. The color and golden‐like reflectivity of these decorations are dominated by the nonlinear optical response and Mie scattering of the silver nanoparticles. We demonstrate that the enhanced golden‐like reflectivity occurs only for dense nanoparticulated layers and that they were obtained by adding PbO to the alkaline glaze. This resulted in reduced diffusivity of silver in the glaze leading to more concentrated and thinner luster layers that formed closer to the glaze surface. The result obtained adds new insights into the high technological level attained during Islamic times and also has important historical implications, giving both new clues concerning the lead enrichment of the glazes during this period, and some basis for the medieval Alchemy search for the production of “gold” from other metals.

LUSTRE‐DECORATED CERAMICS FROM A 15TH TO 16TH CENTURY PRODUCTION IN SEVILLE*

A set of 17 fragments of ceramics have been uncovered on the occasion of excavations of a workshop in Triana near Seville. These ceramics are typical of objects that are not commonly encountered in present collections in spite of intensive production during the 15th–16th centuries. Chemical and mineralogical analyses have been performed using various techniques (X‐ray fluorescence and diffraction, SEM, ion beam analyses). The majority of the ceramic sherds represent the diversity of the Seville production; three fragments recovered in the same archaeological context were not locally produced and belong to the production of eastern Spain (Valence area). The ceramic bodies of the Seville sherds are compatible with the use of clays from the Guadalquivir valley. The glaze and the lustre decoration are comparable to those produced in eastern Spain. These conclusions are based on data that represent the production of a single workshop in Seville; the scatter of the data is due to variations in the processing and/or to alterations during the five centuries of burial of the ceramic fragments.

Double Nanoparticle Layer in a 12<sup>th</sup> Century Lustreware Decoration: Accident or Technological Mastery?

Metallic lustre decorations of glazed ceramics, which appeared in Mesopotamia during the 9th century AD, can be considered nowadays as an historical example of controlled nanotechnology for optical devices. Their surprising optical properties are directly due to metallic nanoparticles that Islamic potters were able to bury in the first layers of glaze through empirical chemical means. Lustre technology is fascinating and many papers have been devoted to this subject. Many lustre samples have been investigated with the most modern equipment such as the synchrotron radiation, electron microscopy, micro-Raman spectroscopy and other spectroscopic methods. This decor made in the twelfth century during the Fatimid dynasty shows a quasi-perfect double layer of nanoparticles confirming the high technological mastery of this civilization. Moreover, up to now, no lustre has been found with an organization of nanoparticles as elaborate as the decor presented here.

Applications of focused ion beam for preparation of specimens of ancient ceramic for electron microscopy and synchrotron X-ray studies

In this paper the capabilities of FIB systems as a tool for TEM studies of ancient pottery are explored, especially when the amount of available material is very limited and when, for instance, there is stringent demand for very accurate location of the electron-transparent area as is the case for investigation of outer surface layers, such as slips and patinas. The advantages of the two main FIB milling techniques (H-bar and Lift-out) are discussed in detail and illustrated through the study of metallic lustre decorations and a particular type of Roman Terra Sigillata coating. The H-bar technique is ideal for investigations where the features of interest are near the edges of a ceramic fragment. A significantly large area of surface decoration can be studied without any restriction on the size and the shape of fragment. On the other hand, the Lift-out technique is very powerful for extracting TEM membranes far from the edges. An added advantage of this technique is that the thickness of the foil is very uniform and that allows large tilts and makes it possible to obtain electron diffraction patterns of several zones axes from the same crystal, making crystallographic phase identification easier and precise, and identification of complex structures possible. We also show that the FIB system can be used to deposit very precise registration marks, allowing an experimenter to correlate results from TEM measurements with other complementary techniques, such as synchrotron based microdiffraction and μXANES. Combination of these complementary techniques is becoming a very powerful approach to probe the chemical and morphological microstructure of heterogeneous and complex material from the nanometre to millimetre scale.

Defects of Golden and Luster Decorations on Glass

Decoration of glass by a thin layer of golden or luster solutions demands a high quality of the glass surface, decorating solutions, as well as technological procedure. In the presented work the authors monitored causes of defect formation for two types of luster decorations and two types of commercial glass gilding preparations with various Ag contents. The results have shown that in case of an unsuitable technological process the layers on the glass demonstrate insufficient adhesion, colors different from the required shade or matt spots. The resistance of golden decorations against damage was further tested by washing of decorated samples in a dishwasher. In case of alkaline washing the decorations were more resistant on sodium-potassium glass and on a previously dealkalised glass surface. A high durability against washing was found for the golden decoration with high Ag content. The quality of layers was investigated with a spectrophotometer, optical microscope and SEM and compositions of the original and decorated glasses were determined with RTG-F and SEM/EDS analyses.

Physico-chemical analyses of Hispano-Moresque lustred ceramic: a precursor for Italian majolica?

The paper presents a comprehensive physico-chemical investigation on a series of Hispano-Moresque objects produced in the eastern Spain workshops between the XIV and XVIII centuries and fragments from XII century, in order to compare them with the Italian Renaissance majolica production. The techniques used are mainly non-destructive (ion beam analyses and X-ray diffraction), sometimes complemented by SEM observation and microanalysis, and electrothermal atomic emission spectrometry. Such methods allow a full description of the terra cotta, of the glaze and of the different surface layers which constitute the lustre decoration indicating individual elemental composition and thickness of each layer containing or not metallic nanoparticles. Principal results show the following: i) a constant source of supply for the eastern Spain terra cotta; ii) a significant change in the composition of the Spanish glazes around the XVII century, with the disappearance of the opacifying tin oxide addition; iii) significant evolutions in the structure and composition of the lustre layers, in particular related to the presence or not of a metal-free surface glaze film and its thickness; iv) interesting analogies and differences with the Italian majolica; v) confirmation of the change in the quality of blue pigment during XVI century, already evidenced by the authors in previous publications. A discussion about the transmission of the lustre technique between eastern Spain and Italy at the Renaissance period is proposed.

The invention of lustre: Iraq 9th and 10th centuries AD

In this paper the study of four significant lustre samples covering 9th century AD polychrome and 10th century AD monochrome lustre from Iraq is presented. The samples selected are representative of the earliest known lustre productions. The data obtained from the study of the medieval samples are compared to laboratory reproductions and gives important clues about the invention, perfection and success of lustre during this period. The change from polychrome to monochrome lustre decorations and the increase in the lead content of the glazes are the key parameters in the success of obtaining a golden lustre.

LUSTRE COLOUR AND SHINE FROM THE OLLERIES XIQUES WORKSHOP IN PATERNA (SPAIN), 13TH CENTURY AD: NANOSTRUCTURE, CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND ANNEALING CONDITIONS*

Lustre is a medieval ceramic decoration, corresponding to a nanostructured thin layer formed by metallic copper and silver nanocrystals embedded in a glass matrix, which required deep knowledge on the part of the artisans with regard to the raw materials used and the kiln conditions. Their empirical knowledge led to the achievement of colourful lustre decorations ranging from reddish to yellowish or even greenish, some of them with a metallic shine with an associated purplish iridescence. Lustre ceramics dating from the 13th century from the Olleries Xiques workshop in Paterna (Spain) have been studied, linking their chemical composition and nanostructure with their colours and shine. Two kinds of nanostructures are found, yellowish lustre decoration constituted by a silver metal–glass nanocomposite, and reddish lustre decoration constituted by metallic copper nanocrystals and copper oxide nanocrystals; in some cases, metallic copper nanocrystals covered with an oxidized shell of CuO and partly Cu2O have been found. However, even with significant amounts of copper oxide, the lustre still exhibits a copper metal‐like shine. The bluish iridescence observed at a specular angle in the lustre could not be explained completely by means of the chemical composition, and metallic silver nanoparticle light scattering is proposed as a possible explanation.

Color variations in 13th century hispanic lustre – An EXAFS study

Microprobe EXAFS analysis of lustre decoration from a late 13th century Hispano–Moresque potsherd has been used to examine the metallic oxide to metal ratios in different shaded copper lustre finishes. A single specimen from 13th century Paterna, exhibiting typical red and green colorations, is found to contain different copper/silver ratios depending on the color. EXAFS has been used to determine the local atomic environment of the copper and reveals a corresponding variation in the metal to oxide ratio of the copper content which is related to the visual effect.