Jaipur Blue Pottery is widely recognized as a traditional craft of Jaipur, though it is Turko-Persian in origin. The name 'blue pottery' comes from the eye-catching blue dye used to color the pottery.
The Persian Art of blue pottery came to Jaipur from Persia and Afghanistan via Mughal Courts.Blue Pottery is made from quartz and not clay. Materials that are used include quartz, raw glaze, sodium sulphate, and multani mitti (fuller's earth)Like pottery it is fired only once. The biggest advantage is that blue pottery does not develop any cracks, and blue pottery is also impervious, hygienic, and suitable for daily use. Blue pottery is beautifully decorated with the brush when the pot is rotated.
The blue colour or turquoise color is obtained by mixing crude copper oxide with salt or sugar in a kiln and then filtering it for use. The dark ultramarine colour is obtained from cobalt oxide. The common motifs are insipred from Mugal era arabesque patterns, animal and bird motifs. The products made include plates, flower vases, soap dishes, surahis (small pitcher), trays, coasters, fruit bowls, door knobs, and glazed tiles with hand painted floral designs. The craft is found mainly in Jaipur, but also in Sanganer, Mahalan, and Neota.
The Art of Jaipur’s Blue Pottery
The Blue Pottery of Jaipur is literally famous in the whole nation and even in the world too. The artwork is called as blue pottery because the potteries are blue in color which is done with blue dye colors and they are combined with eye catching golden and silver designs and the style of art is actually derived from the Turko-Persian style.The blue color which is used to color the potteries is actually a color which is made by an Egyptian technique using the Indian raw materials such as Multani MItti or Fuller’s Earth borax, Katira Gond or a kind of gum , normal gum, saaji which is the local name for sodium bicarbonate and water. Besides the coloring the potteries are made up of a frit material which is an Egyptian faience which is done under low fire and followed by glazing it as there is no clay is used to make these potteries. To make the dough for the potteries quartz stone powder and powdered glass is used instead of normal clay. There are many other colors such as cobalt blue, green, yellow and brown also added shifting from the blue monochrome and they are made with copper oxide, cobalt oxide and many others are also used to make some other non-conventional colors.
The blue pottery of Jaipur can be recognized easily at any local market and no one can get them away by seeing its beautiful motifs which are done in blue and golden colors and they are seen more in birds and animal motifs such as horses and camels. These potteries can be bought in many forms such as flower vases, ashtrays, jars, cups, tea sets, small bowls, crockeries and many others. But they are fragile and should be really handled delicately.
The history behind Blue Pottery
Besides the Turkish people adopted this form of art in the 14th century was very first developed by the Mongol artists and then it was shifted to the Chinese who inspired from the Persians as it was used in various kinds of construction and art works on the mosques, palaces and tombs in the various parts of Central Asia. When it came to India with the Mughals they started using it in the various architecture and later on it was introduced to Delhi and them shifted to Jaipur artisans in the 17th century.
The craft became popular and was became the exclusive art of Jaipur since the early era of 19th century under the reign of Sawai Ram Singh. The various ancient and the very first ceramic work of blue pottery can be seen in the museum of Rambagh Palace. And the blue pottery has become of the common livelihood of the local artisans of Jaipur.
Craftsmen of Blue Pottery in Jaipur
According to the craftsmen, blue pottery is being practiced by 25 – 30 units in and around Jaipur. Ten to eleven units are from the village Kot Jebar 1 and the rest of them are from the main city of Jaipur. Formerly there were more producers but since it is a time ‐ consuming and tedious craft, the producers have shifted to other means of livelihood. The craft is mainly practiced by the Khaarwaal, Kumbhars, Bahairva and Nat castes. Among these, the Khaarwal and Khumbars are the prime producers of blue pottery.
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