A UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
Flammen, or flame painting, is a time-honored tradition that dates back to the 17th century. Originating in the Gmunden region of Austria, this unique decorative technique involves applying distinctive patterns of swirls, stripes, and waves to pottery and decorative objects. In 2021, Flammen was inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List, recognizing its exceptional cultural significance.
Skill and Precision
The Flammen technique begins with a practiced hand applying a steady stream of glaze to the underside of a piece of pottery. The key to achieving the characteristic Flammen patterns lies in the swift, precise movements of the artisan's hand, ensuring smooth, uninterrupted lines. Maintaining a consistent rhythm is crucial, as any hesitation can result in uneven strokes. With a final flourish, the line is extended beyond the edge of the piece, ensuring perfect symmetry. Next, a skillful upward motion and release of the thumb initiate the decoration of the second half, ensuring equal spacing and guided solely by eye. The rich, flowing glazes are applied to already fired and glazed ceramic pieces. Once the hand-painted decoration is complete, these precious unique pieces undergo a final firing process.
A Centuries-Old Craft
Austria boasts a rich and well-established ceramics tradition. As early as the Middle Ages, a significant number of pottery workshops dotted the Traunsee region. Back then, potters employed a technique involving applying colorful horns in a rhythmic fashion to clay bowls. Around 1600, a distinct pattern emerged, featuring colored dots and flecks on a white lead glaze, creating a marble-like effect. Over a century later, a dark green banding pattern gained prominence, which, when combined with the white glaze base, has persisted to this day. Gmundner pottery makers, in particular, became renowned for producing and distributing this so-called "Grüngeflammte" (green-flamed) ware. They transported their изделия down the Traun River to Vienna, establishing a longstanding cultural tradition that has spanned over 300 years.
Preserving a Legacy
Today, only four women in Upper Austria carry on the Flammen tradition, all employed at the Gmundner Keramikmanufaktur in Gmunden. The craft continues to be practiced entirely by hand. Each Flammen artist leaves their personal mark, with individual initials inscribed on the underside of each piece, identifying the artisan behind the creation. For these dedicated craftswomen, practicing their art form goes beyond preserving centuries-old knowledge; it is also about carefully nurturing and evolving the tradition, ensuring its传承 to future generations.
Unique and Timeless
Gmundner Keramik currently produces over 900 different Flammen designs. These include cups and mugs, plates, pitchers, and bowls, as well as decorative accessories such as vases and other objects. The classic motifs and patterns – swirls or loops, stripes, waves, circles, and arcs – offer endless possibilities for variationand expansion, as evidenced by the minimalist Gmundner collections "Weißgeflammt" (white-flamed) and "Pur Geflammt" (pure-flamed). A variety of color tones and combinations ensure modern interpretations of the timeless design, such as a collection featuring vibrant, radiant rainbow hues.
Intangible Cultural Heritage
In May 2021, Flammen pottery was inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. Since 2003, UNESCO has documented and protected a wide range of living traditions from around the world under the umbrella of "Intangible Cultural Heritage." This encompasses performing arts, customs, festivals, traditional knowledge, and craftsmanship. These cultural forms are all rooted in human knowledge and a diversity of skills. By highlighting such practices, we can foster a deeper appreciation for regional distinctiveness, which in turn contributes significantly to their preservation. In the case of Flammen pottery, this means safeguarding the beauty of a centuries-old decorative technique, ensuring that a true piece of Austria's heritage endures.