Faience

About faience

What does faience mean?

Faience is a fine, porous earthenware which is coated with a glaze and fired several times. The result is faience that differs from ceramics in its fineness and sophistication.

Of the brands we offer, Gien makes its products from faience.

What is the origin and history of faience?

The French term "faience" is derived from the name of an Italian city: Faenza. It became famous for its ceramics during the Renaissance. But already long before this time there were faience-like techniques in ancient Egypt in the 4th millennium before Christ. In the 5th century faience was already produced in Persia in the true sense of the word.

In the 14th and 15th century the faience reached Spain and Italy. Above all Mallorca and the north Italian city Faenza are still considered as important commercial centres for this fine ceramic kind. The Dutch faiences from Delft (between the 16th and 19th centuries) became the first mass exports worldwide.