Talavera by "de la Luz"

Contreros, Cesar Torres & Juquila

Entrance to Bodega

In Ka'an has a small Bodega (warehouse) of ceramic pottery called Talavera. Bill had collected a small number of pieces which he used frequently for serving food. One day he had all 9 or 10 pieces on a table by the palapa. A little "dust devil" jumped the wall; picked up the table and smashed every piece. When Bill tried to replace them he found that the choices in Merida were very limited. He and Bonnie drove to Puebla, the major center in Mexico for making Talavera, explored the various artisan workshops and purchased replacement pieces. They fell in love with the huge varieties and beauty of other pieces and bought a couple of boxes full of small pieces to be used for gifts, etc. Others admired the selections and wanted to purchase them to take home. This grew over the years and now the Bodega de Talavera contains the largest collection of pieces located in the Yucatan. The collection represents 15 to 20 of the more popular artisans in Puebla.

Talavera pottery is fine handmade Mexican majolica. The term majolica is generally used for all types of tin enameled earthenware of Mediterranean, Spanish or Mexican origin. In Mexico and Spain, majolica is called Talavera after the town of Talavera de la Reina in Spain.

Majolica, and its opaque surface, was first developed in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt and became very popular in China where its technique was further developed. It was in use in Spain by the early 13th century and its development was heavily influenced by centuries of Moorish domination.

When the Spanish conquered Mexico in the early 16th century, they brought their ceramic industry with them and by the end of that century, the craft was well established in what is now the city of Puebla. In the late 16th century, Spain opened trade with China via the Philippines and Mexico and imports of Chinese porcelain began to influence Talavera design.

Today, Mexican Talavera reflects the diverse cultural heritage through motifs inherited from the Orient, the Italian Renaissance, the Moors, Spain and the New World. Elements from all these sources are combined at will and a sense of freedom and whimsy are often apparent in the compositions. There are many artisan workshops in Puebla making authentic Talavera but only a handful produce it using only the ancient techniques. Each piece is a virtual work of art and individual artists styles are distinctive. Talavera is truly one of the beautiful treasures of Mexico.

Talavera makes marvelous gifts and additions to your home at bargain prices. Talavera can be purchased at selected stores in Merida and at In Ka'ans' Bodega which opens its doors one day weekly for retail sales. Appointments for other days can be made by phoning 943-0233, 943-4156, 943-5901