A comprehensive survey of the use of tiles in architecture and design through the ages, from the Gothic period through to Art Deco and the Omega Workshops in the 20th century. The stunning photography features individual tiles and tile panels in interior and exterior decoration. Tiles have provided a particularly fertile opportunity for decoration, employing numerous ceramic techniques and reflecting an endless variety of styles through the centuries. Different tile-making processes are discussed and the continuing introduction of new practices is recorded, conveying a sense of the richness and diversity of the traditions of tilework in Europe.
An illustrated survey of the use of tiles in interior design through the ages, from the Gothic through to Art Deco and the Omega Workshops in the 20th century. Many different styles are revealed through tilework, from the mellow Delftware depicted in paintings by Dutch masters, to the lively, inventive decoration adopted by Duncan Grant at his Charleston farmhouse. The influence of the Islamic world is shown in the tiles of Moorish Spain and the Victorian period, while the Gothic, and its revival in the 19th century, the Renaissance and Modernism are all represented. The book is illustrated with an array of pictures, which include not only individual tiles but also patterned and pictorial tile panels and items such as ceramic stoves as well as authentic interiors and elements of exterior decoration. Paintings and drawings set the tiles in context. Tiles have provided a particularly fertile opportunity for decoration, employing numerous ceramic techniques and an endless variety of styles through the centuries. Different tile-making processes are discussed and the continuing introduction of new practices is recorded, conveying a sense of the richness and diversity of the traditions of tilework in Europe. Appealing to collectors and to those interested in architecture and interior design, the book draws on the unique collections at the V&A to provide a visual resource and a survey of a popular subject.
A comprehensive, full-color exploration of tile art and production worldwide, from earliest times to the present day. The book is both an authoritative work of reference and a visual delight, ranging from ancient Greece, where the first fired roof tiles date from as early as the third millennium BC, to twentieth-century Mexico. Along the way we encounter stunning examples of the tiler's art: the enormous English medieval floor pavements from Byland Abbey and Clarendon Palace; figural tiles from China, intended to adorn roofs and ward off evil; the famous Iznik tiles from the Islamic world, with their richly decorative patterns; the highly stylised ceramic tiles of the Arts and Crafts movement; and the tiles created by some of the finest ceramic artists and potters of the twenty-first century. Placing the tiles firmly in their historical and cultural context, the book highlights both continuity and diversity, the dissemination of techniques and designs, and how tile art in one time and place has inspired and rejuvenated those in others. Tiles are also studied in terms of function as well as form, and the full range of architectural and practical purposes for which they have been used - from floors to roofs, stoves to bathrooms, cathedrals to metro stations - will be explored, along with the various techniques employed to create such versatile pieces. 5000 Years of Tiles is the essential, most comprehensive single volume for anyone interested in the ceramic, decorative, and architectural arts.
A dazzling visual history of ceramic tiles from around the world and across the centuries. This striking book gathers together an extensive collection of ceramic tiles from around the world and explores their rich history, purpose, and decorative qualities. For centuries, tiles have been used for both functional and aesthetic purposes on the fac¸ades and interiors of buildings. Found in a multitude of shapes, sizes, colors, and designs—ranging from complex geometrical Islamic patterns to figurative seventeenth-century delftware—tiles are among the most varied ceramic products. This luxurious source book, curated by the award-winning studio Here Design, is organized chronologically and features tiles in every variety of shape, displaying each individual tile type and its overall laid pattern in vivid color. Tiles are also shown in situ around the world and at different periods in their remarkable history. The Tile Book is a dazzling mosaic, with colors and patterns that will uplift and inspire.
To conclude their survey, the authors look at how elements of Art Nouveau were absorbed into Art Deco after World War I and how Art Nouveau styles of tile-making have been revived in the 1980s and 1990s. A final chapter gives useful advice to the collector of Art Nouveau tiles, suggesting ways of organizing, restoring and preserving them."--BOOK JACKET.
From Heath Ceramics, the beloved California designer, maker, and seller of home goods, comes a captivating and unprecedented look at beautifully designed interiors where tile is an important and integral part of the design. Tile Makes the Room, by Heath’s owners Robin Petravic and Catherine Bailey, winners of the National Design Award from the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, is about exceptional spaces and places—the kind you want to step into and examine each and every detail of—where tile is the main ingredient, though not the only star. From the dwellings of notable designers to everyday homeowners, grand installations and subtle designs all showcase tile’s role in the form and function of architecture and interiors. The book, for design professionals and aficionados alike, features inspiration on every page; a look at tile making; a unique perspective on color, pattern, and texture; and public installations around the world to visit and enjoy, Tile Makes the Room is essential reading on interiors and tile.