Ceramic plate · Horezu · Blue & copper

Medium plate featuring a mesmerising radiating pattern in blue and copper tones. Made on a potter's wheel and hand painted with ancestral motifs, this piece showcases the UNESCO-protected heritage of Horezu pottery. The warm terracotta exterior and decorative glazed interior make it perfect for serving or wall display.

The Craft. Made on a potter's wheel from clay taken from the nearby hills, these plates are painted with dyes made from local minerals and clays, using a technique called jirăvire, through which the artisan connects, with the help of a traditional tool made of cow horn and goose feather, the edges of a spiral with its centre while the painting is still wet. The motifs used in the decoration are symbols of the ancestral world vision of the Romanian people. Featured on this plate is the peacock tail, symbol of divine protection. Around twenty-five artisans living in the village of Horezu today continue this traditional style of ceramic using the same methods and techniques passed down by their ancestors for hundreds of years.

The Heritage. Horezu pottery is recognised as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The development of the Horezu village is intimately linked to the building of the Horezu Monastery in the 18th century, a masterpiece of the style known as brâncovenesc. According to legend, the builders hired for its construction were forced, for fear of the Ottomans, to work only at night, when the owls (huhurezii) were singing. The school of arts established at the monastery may have contributed to the development of artistic pottery in the village.

The Maker. Born in Horezu in a family that had devotedly nurtured the tradition of pottery, Maria Ștefănescu discovered the secrets and beauty of this ancestral craft at very young age. She learnt the intricacies of the craft when she was a child, assisting her parents in their workshop. Over the years, she has explored and developed her own style full of originality and creativity. Each object Maria makes is unique and bears the personal imprint of her style.