Handmade Talavera Nativity
Puebla, Mexico
hand molded clay, pigment
various size examples:
baby: 1.25 x 2.75 x 1.25
Mary: 5 x 3.25 x 2
Joseph: 7 x 3 x 3
camel: 5 x 7 x 3
Provenance: Personal Collection of Rose and Cecil Quintana
Talavera is a Mexican and Spanish Pottery tradition from Talavera de la Reina, Spain. The Mexican pottery is a type of majolica, or tin-glazed earthenware, with a white base glaze typical of the type.
The pottery is made with two kinds of clay, a dark clay and a light, slightly rose-colored clay
. Both of these clays come from the state of Puebla. These two clays are mixed together, strained and kneaded. Though today it is common to see pieces made from molds, each piece in this nativity is modeled by hand and signed.
