THE POTTER S ART. 



more tempered by the potter, who for that purpose divides it into 

 balls of convenient size , which he slaps with great force upon his 

 table. The last air-bubbles are expelled from the dough by this 

 process. 



The formation of the dough into the fabricated article is 

 effected, either by the processes of throwing and turning on the 

 wheel, or by moulding, the latter being effected either by pressure 

 or by casting. 



The process of forming the article on the potter's wheel has 

 been briefly explained in a former chapter. It will be more 

 clearly comprehended by the aid of M. Develey's sketch of the 

 thrower and turner's shop, represented in fig. 28 at the head of 

 Chapter III. 



A ball of dough is given to the thrower, A, of sufficient magni- 

 tude for the piece intended to be made. He places it on the 

 centre of the circular plaster disc, which is attached to the top of his 

 wheel, and which revolves with the wheel. By the dexterous appli- 

 cation of his hands and fingers, the ball of dough passing through 

 a succession of forms assumes ultimately that which is desired. 



Some idea may be formed of this most ancient and charac- 

 teristic operation of the potter's art by the aid of the diagrams, 

 fig. 29 to fig. 34. 



Let it be supposed that the shape of the vase to be formed is 

 that represented in fig. 29. It will then be produced in two 



Fig. 29. 



Fig. 30. 



separate pieces, D and E, which after being formed on the wheel 

 must be united and attached one to another by that general 

 cement of the potter called SLIP. 



A ball of dough, B, fig. 30, sufficient to produce the lower part 

 D, fig. 29, being placed on the wheel and put in rotation, is shaped 

 180 



