Tile
Unknown Artist
probably 18th–19th century
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
Tin-glazed earthenware
Dimensions
Overall: 5 × 5 in. (12.7 × 12.7 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Pottery
Culture
Dutch
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of W. R. Valentiner, 1908
Accession Number
08.196.205
Art Historical Context
This charming 5 × 5-inch square tile, crafted from tin-glazed earthenware,ails from the Netherlands, likely dating to the 18th or 19th century. during the height of Dutch Delftware traditions, these tiles were a hallmark of everyday luxury, transforming ordinary interiors into vibrant displays. The tin glaze—a lead-based coating fired with tin oxide—created a smooth, impermeable white surface ideal for bold painted designs, often in blues, whites, and vivid polychrome hues. This technique, borrowed from Italian maiolica and perfected in Delft workshops, allowed for intricate motifs like flower...