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Arts & Culture

The Technique of Sgraffito in Renaissance Pottery

Quick fact

The word 'sgraffito' comes from the Italian verb graffiare, meaning 'to scratch' — the same root as 'graffiti'.

Why this is interesting

You've probably scratched pictures into wet sand at the beach — Renaissance potters perfected that same playful gesture into a sophisticated art form. But how do you make paint-like layers on a pot that you can scratch away?