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Arts & Culture

Sgraffito: A Renaissance Pottery Technique

Quick fact

The word 'sgraffito' comes from the Italian 'sgraffire', meaning 'to scratch', and the technique was also used in Renaissance architecture for wall and ceiling decorations.

Why this is interesting

Have you ever seen pottery with intricate designs that seem to be scratched into the surface? That's sgraffito, a technique that Renaissance potters mastered by layering and carving clay to create stunning contrasts.