The Historical Development of Islamic Lustre Overglazes and Experimentation and Exploration of Modern Methods of Lustre Production

Abstract

The technique of firing a metallic surface onto a glazed ceramic vessel developed and was mastered by the Islamic potter. The technique, referred to as a lustre overglaze decoration, has been admired by potters for centuries. Recently, the overglaze technique has once again become popular. Contemporary potters have found that lustres yield exciting possibilities, yet the wares produced today lack the sophistication of the former Islamic vessels. Unlike the mid-Eastern wares, the overglazes employed on contemporary vessels lack the magnificent overtones of the previous Islamic lustres. As a result, a course of study was undertaken to trace the historical development of the overglazes in Islam as well as to explore and to experiment with modern methods of production in hopes of obtaining results similar to the Islamic lustres.