Majolica with a Story: When Craft Doesn’t Age, but Matures

One of the most important factors was that my father had always had a ceramics workshop—he was a ceramist, and this craft was part of our home. From a young age, I was sculpting and had the opportunity to work in his workshop. The second key moment was realizing that the tradition of ceramics in Modra and its surroundings was gradually fading away. As a trained ceramist and designer, I felt inspired to revive this craft in a modern way and breathe new life into it. These two moments were decisive in establishing our workshop.

The tradition of ceramic production in Modra dates back to the 15th century when the so-called Habans arrived in western Slovakia, bringing with them the technique of majolica ceramics—hand-thrown pottery adorned with hand-painted ornamentation. Over time, the local inhabitants learned the craft from them, leading to the emergence of numerous ceramic workshops across western Slovakia, particularly in the Záhorie and Malé Karpaty regions. Each of these workshops developed its own unique ornamentation, color schemes, and decorative motifs.By the late 19th century, the Slovenská ľudová majolika cooperative was founded, along with a vocational school where apprentices trained in pottery and ceramic painting. As successors to this tradition, we established our own workshop in 2011, producing both majolica and stoneware ceramics based on our own designs and patterns while preserving traditional techniques—hand-throwing on a potter's wheel, glazing, and hand-painting. Today, after 13 years, we continue to build on this centuries-old heritage, pushing it forward in a modern form.

We focus on evolving the design of our pieces, ensuring that they are first and foremost functional and practical. Our primary focus is tableware and utility ceramics, but we’ve also transformed the ornamentation and decoration process. Our patterns are more minimalist, emphasizing detail, simplicity, and a contemporary aesthetic while still honoring the spirit of traditional craftsmanship.

It’s all about having a designer’s intuition—the ability to reinterpret traditional patterns while fearlessly adapting them to contemporary trends. We’re not afraid to experiment, extracting key details from traditional ornamentation and reshaping them into more modern, minimalist compositions. At the same time, we ensure that each piece—whether a cup, plate, or bowl—is aesthetically refined and functionally sound.

We emphasize usability and daily functionality. While majolica ceramics were often seen as decorative objects in the past, we focus on creating products that seamlessly integrate into modern households. We also respond to seasonal trends by introducing special collections—such as Christmas or Easter motifs—and continuously refining our designs.

In a way, we have a paradoxical "advantage"—this craft is on the verge of extinction. Today, only a handful of workshops in Slovakia still practice the art of majolica production, which naturally contributes to its exclusivity. However, beyond preserving tradition, we also strive to modernize and make it more appealing to younger generations through fresh designs, collaborations with designers, and educational initiatives.

The future of this craft is uncertain, primarily due to the declining number of skilled potters and painters. However, we see two possible paths forward. The first is investing in education—training a new generation of artisans to continue the tradition. The second is focusing on experiential production, offering workshops and hands-on courses where people can immerse themselves in the process of pottery and ceramic painting.By doing so, we wouldn't just preserve the tradition but also bring it closer to a wider audience. Time will tell which of these paths will prove to be the best way forward for the future of Modra ceramics.