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Blue Pottery
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History of Blue Pottery
Blue Pottery, as a craft, originated in Turkey and Persia and boasts of Islamic patterns. However, Blue Pottery has become an integral part of the crafts, arts and culture of Jaipur. It is said that Blue Pottery arrived in Jaipur under the tutelage of Sawai Ram Singh II in the early 1900s. In its chequered span of 200 years, it has gone through major changes and has now revived, post independence, by Kamla Devi Chattopadhyaya and Raj Mata Gayatri Devi.
According to legends, Mughals bought the technique of blue pottery while traveling via Kashmir. They trained the Kashmiri artisans and others all over north India, in fond remembrance of their homeland, Samarkand.
The name comes from the eye-catching Persian blue dye used to color the clay. Gradually the blue glaze technique grew beyond an
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 Blue Pottery, Handmade in India, Mapin Publication  blue Pottery, Handmade in India,Mapin Publication
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architectural accessory to Kashmiri potters.
From there, the technique traveled to the plains of Delhi and later to Jaipur. The rulers of Jaipur immediately took to blue-glazed ware. We can see many such marble halls in Rambagh Palace, where fountains are lined with blue tiles. Even the cities of Jaipur and Delhi boast of Islamic structures laden with blue pottery tiles, though they have disappeared by now.
The revival of tile-making began in the late 19th century, and Jaipur became the centre of a thriving industry producing blueware.
Characteristics
Blue Pottery products are continuously smooth and do not develop any cracks
Blue Pottery is resistant, hygienic, and suitable for daily use
Blue Pottery products are semi-transparent
Blue Pottery products and mostly decorated with animal and bird motifs. Being fired at very low temperature makes them fragile
Blue Pottery products can be beautifully and intricately decorated with brush when the pot is rotated.
Process in the making of Blue pottery
The products are made by mixing Fuller’s Earth (Multani Mitti), silica extracted out of quartz and glass. The Fuller’s Earth acts as the binding agent for quartz and glass. Fuller’s Earth can be substituted by Maida (refined Flour). The glass is a mix of Boric Oxide and silica and is used to reduce the temperature and the bake the quartz. This dough is then put into products mould to get the desired forms. After the first round of baking, the product is glazed and colored with different patterns.
Colors & Motifs
The blue color or turquoise color is obtained from copper oxide and dark ultramarine colour is obtained from cobalt oxide.
The common motifs are inspired by the Mughal Era and follow Arabesque patterns, animal and bird motifs and geometric patterns.
Blue Pottery Products
Blue Pottery products include bowls, plates, soap trays, flower vases, surahis (small pitcher), trays, coasters, fruit bowls, door knobs, and glazed tiles with hand painted floral designs. Blue Pottery craft is practiced in Jaipur, and around in places like Sanganer, Mahalan, and Neota.
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