The Rijksmuseum owns approximately 7250 ceramic objects, subdivided into porcelain (more than 4600 pieces), majolica (app. 400), faience (app. 1750) and stoneware (app. 850). The difference between these types of earthenware has to do with the material they are made of, or manner of production. For instance, majolica is a type of earthenware covered with an opaque white lead glaze and then decorated on the outside with metal-oxide glazes, often in vivid colours. Faience earthenware is covered on both sides with a layer of tin glaze. Because of the constitution of its clay stoneware can be fired at a high temperature (1200°C) without losing its shape. And porcelain, which is made of kaolin or porcelain clay, is fired at an even higher temperature.
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