Frieze tile
Unknown Artist
ca. 1600
Medium
Tin-glazed earthenware
Dimensions
Overall: 5 3/8 × 5 3/8 in. (13.7 × 13.7 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Pottery
Culture
Dutch
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Fletcher Fund, 1927
Accession Number
27.199.23
Tags
Art Historical Context
This charming frieze tile, crafted in the Netherlands around 1600, exemplifies the artistry of Dutch tin-glazed earthenware, often called Delftware. Measuring a modest 5⅜ × 5⅜ inches, it was designed to be part of a decorative border or frieze adorning interiors like fireplaces or wainscoting. The tin glaze—a technique involving a lead-tin oxide coating fired over earthenware—created a smooth, white surface ideal for vibrant painted motifs, mimicking costly Chinese porcelain while making luxury accessible to the emerging Dutch middle class. The tile's motifs of giraffes and deer highlight the...