MEDIEVAL GLAZED FLOOR TILES

Medieval Glazed Floor Tiles

Medieval Glazed Floor Tiles

Introduction

Tiles were developed over the centuries as one product of earthenware pottery. Medieval tilers used lead glazes on the red-firing clay which hardened in the firing process, the surface becoming transparent, thus protecting the clay and making it stronger and waterproof. Designs could be inlaid before glazing by stamping them into the clay, then filling these areas with slip ( white liquid clay). Tiles could also be simply covered with slip before glazing, giving them a different colour from tiles without a layer of slip. These could be then be used to make decorative patterns. The earliest tiles were used for flooring. These were largely for churches, "stately homes", or other institutional buildings. Only the wealthy could afford them.

History

However the opportunities for sophisticated decorations required the development of the tin glazes emerging from the Middle Eastern countries. Detailed and beautiful decorations could be created. Islamic conquests spread the glories of Islamic art and architecture further north through Spain. Spanish pottery spread through Italy [via Majorca, hence majolica and the French word faience from Faenza where it was popular] then further north to Antwerp in Flanders (Southern Netherlands) and then further into Northern Netherlands. Colours used in majolica tiles were blue, orange, green, yellow and purple. Over time, the Spanish and Italian influences waned as other influences took precedence and Dutch tiles developed their own special characteristics (Wood, Jeanne, 2001).

Early in the 17th century the United Dutch East India Company imported blue and white Chinese porcelain and this became all the rage. It was expensive. The Dutch potters tried to imitate the Chinese porcelain but the process for true porcelain was not yet available to them. However, in the town of Delft from the 17th century, the potters created a very superior earthenware product which became known as delftware (Emden,

Material used and Making

The stages in making delftware were briefly as follows: clay was shaped, dried and given a first firing. Tiles were then glazed with liquid white tin glaze. The design was pricked through on a piece of paper, the spons,and when laid on the tile, the pattern was transferred to the tile by pouncing through the holes with charcoal. The outline of the pattern was clear enough for the painter to complete the painting. The tiles were then fired a second time. The firings were at a temperature of ...