This lavishly illustrated survey of the production and use of tiles in architecture and interiors from the Middle Ages to the present day takes as its starting point the rich and varied collection of European tiles in the V&A.
Many different styles are revealed through tilework, from the mellow Dutch Delftware depicted in paintings by Pieter de Hooch, 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 stunning 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 are also featured to set the tiles in context.
Different tile-making processes are discussed and the continuing introduction of new practises is recorded, conveying a sense of the richness and diversity of the traditions of tilework in Europe.
Appealing to collectors and to those interested din architecture and interior design, the book will provide an indispensable visual resource and a valuable new survey of a popular subject.
