Fayoum hand-painted ceramic mug · Burgundy floral

Hand-painted Egyptian ceramic mug from the Fayoum Pottery School, Tunis village. Wheel-thrown from Nile Valley clay with a comfortable curved handle, decorated with expressive burgundy red floral motifs with touches of blue on an ivory ground. The bold botanical brushwork reflects the artisan's distinctive red glaze technique - vibrant, spontaneous and deeply rooted in the oasis forms of Fayoum. 

The Craft. Wheel-thrown from clay sourced from the Nile Valley in Aswan, these mugs are decorated entirely by hand using expressive brushwork - floral motifs built up in rich burgundy red with touches of blue, the composition spontaneous yet controlled. A clear glaze is applied over the entire piece before kiln firing, sealing both the hand-painted exterior and the interior in a fully glazed, food-safe finish. 

The Heritage. Although pottery-making was widespread in Egypt during Pharaonic times, by the late 20th century decreasing demand had led to the craft's near disappearance. Life in the farming village of Tunis in the verdant Fayoum oasis took a dramatic turn in the 1980s when Swiss-born potter Evelyne Porret made the village her home. Together with her husband Michel Pastore, she opened the Fayoum Pottery School, inspiring the village children to tap into their creative potential. Today, those students have opened their own workshops, exhibiting true artistic talent and reverence for their mentor whilst keeping the ancient craft alive.

Maker. A student of Evelyne Porret, Mohamed Guma entered the Fayoum Pottery School as an eight-year old, after trading toy animals made from mud with Evelyne’s children. Mohamed is a prominent Fayoum potter and teacher, who has focused on developing his firing technique and a distinctive red glaze.