Hand-Painted Fès Ceramic Vase, Moroccan Zellij-Inspired Chabaka Pottery

Each vase begins as raw clay, shaped by hand on a traditional foot-powered pottery wheel. Once the form has dried, the surface is prepared for decoration before the geometric design is carefully painted by hand.

The intricate pattern requires patience and a steady hand. The artisan builds the composition across the curved surface, maintaining the rhythm of the lattice while filling individual geometric sections with mineral colors. Traditional firing techniques then transform the decorated clay into a durable ceramic piece with a luminous glazed finish.

The design draws from the geometric vocabulary found throughout Moroccan decorative arts. The repeating lattice creates a sense of movement across the vessel, while the small colored motifs add rhythm and contrast to the composition.

Rather than relying on a perfectly uniform industrial print, the pattern is applied by hand across the curved ceramic surface. Small differences in line thickness, color placement, and glaze are part of the character of the piece and reflect the hand of the artisan.