Bisque porcelain

Bisque bust of 1883, representing the young John the Baptist

Capodimonte porcelain figure, c. 1790

Bisque porcelain or bisque is a type of unglazed, white porcelain, with a matte appearance and texture to the touch. It has been widely used in European pottery, mainly for objects that are not tableware and so do not need a glaze for protection. Although the term "biscuit" is often used to refer to it, bisque is only a subgroup of unglazed biscuit pottery, which for most pottery is a stage after a first firing before a glaze is applied.

Small figurines and other decorative pieces have often been made in bisque, as well as larger portrait busts and other sculptures; the appearance of bisque is very similar to that of carved and smoothed marble, the traditional prestige material for sculpture in the West. A popular use for bisque porcelain was the manufacture of bisque dolls in the 19th century, where the bisque was typically tinted or painted in flesh tones. Parian ware is a 19th-century type of bisque.

See also

• Terra cotta