Origin and history
The pottery of Cliousclat, located in the eponymous village of the Provencal Drome, is an exceptional testimony of traditional ceramic handicrafts. Founded in 1902 by Marius Anjaleras, it breaks with the shared oven model by centralizing all stages of production (preparation, turning, cooking, decoration) on the same site. This project aimed to modernize local production in the face of industrial competition, while maintaining ancestral know-how. The site, registered as a historic monument in 1997, includes settling ponds, workshops, and a wood-burning oven, reflecting an organization of work unchanged since its inception.
The pottery activity in Cliousclat dates back to at least the 10th century, with written traces confirming its vitality from the 17th century. In the 19th century, the village had up to 8 active furnaces, directly or indirectly employing nearly a third of its population. The Anjaleras pottery, bought in 1919 by the founder's sons and then transmitted to Philippe Sourdive in 1964, survived thanks to technical adaptations (partial mechanization in the 1930s) and a specialization in varnished earth, known for its waterproofness and brilliant appearance. The production, marked by utilitarian pieces (plates, jars) and fanciful objects such as "nightings" (terranean sifflets), was documented in the magazine Art et décoration in 1938.
The pottery ceased its activity in 2012, victim of competition from modern materials, but was revived thanks to a local mobilization. A SCIC (Cooperative Society of Collective Interest) and local and regional authorities financed its restoration, with work in two phases (2016 and 2018) to modernize the workshops while preserving traditional methods. Today, a team of five potters perpetuates this know-how, producing about 1,200 tons of clay per year. The site, open to the public, welcomes 20,000 annual visitors and organizes a potter market every two years, attracting local and regional artisans.
The production stages, unchanged for a century, begin with the extraction and preparation of clay from the Maupas deposit, washed in a bourlo (circular cuve) before being mixed. The filming, once operated by the potter's feet, is now electrified, but retains its artisanal dimension. After drying and decorating with l'engobe (mixture of clay and dye oxides), the pieces are varnished with alquifoux (mineral varnish imported from Spain until 1920) and then cooked 18 hours in a wood oven at 980°C. The cooking process, carried out once a month, consumes up to 600 fagots of wood, supplied by local bushes.
The site, with an area of 1,700 m2, includes buildings organized around a central courtyard: shooting workshops, dryers, ovens, and upstairs offices. Its architecture and equipment (rails for the transport of clay, settling basins) testify to the ingenuity of potters to optimize production. Ranked a historic monument for its whole (buildings, courtyard, basins), it is now managed by a SCIC and hosts temporary exhibitions. The pottery was also publicized, notably in a report by La Maison France 5 in 2019, highlighting its role in preserving the French artisanal heritage.
Among the iconic pieces, the "nightings" (earthbaths) were offered in 1945 at the National Museum of Folk Arts and Traditions (now MUCEM). These objects, as well as the varnished jars and dishes, illustrate the utility and artistic duality of production. The transmission of know-how remains a major challenge, with on-site training and events such as the potter market, which brings together some 40 artisans every two years. This cultural and artisanal dynamism makes Cliousclat a living place, where past and present combine to perpetuate a thousand-year tradition.
Announcements
Please log in to post a review