handmade in bolton

[scullion]

is an interesting little series on bbc4 at the moment with janina ramirez and shaun greenhalgh (the chap convicted of art forgery some years ago).
the format is that the historian picks an item, each episode, for the forger to copy. last night's episode was about copying the style of bernard palissey plate.
the original was made with casts of real animals - not something one would do now (unless they were found dead) so casts of toys were made. anyone who makes plaster casts (and i have made a lot - i'm in the hundreds region) would have been shouting at the telly. one of the very first things you learn is that the plaster of paris is added to the water, not the other way round.
having made pots using similar techniques i was rather surprised at the rather poor outcome. he also did things that i would not have done and didn't do things that i would that would have produced a better outcome.
understandably the glazes would be different as lead glazes are not considered safe for domestic ware - but this was a replication and similar glazes could be made using modern substitutes. instead, he used ready made underglazes - applied too thickly, covered in a clear glaze, which were never going to give the same results and the end product would never fool anyone that it could have been a palissey. maybe the point was the process rather than the product.
the other two programmes this week were about the making of a replica, saxon brooch and a medieval, alabaster carving.
an interesting half an hour if you want to see how he goes about making things.

[PatsyMFagan]

I caught the one about the alabaster carving …

[StokeySue]

I’ve only seen the raven brooch, which was amazing.

Trying to think where I saw a load of Palissy recently - I think the Wallace collection? Interesting but not my thing

[scullion]

yes, the plate he 'replicated' is one of those in the wallace collection.

[miss mouse]

After getting over the extraordinary footwear choices of Janina Ramirez I am amazed by his skill and knowledge.