Tile
Unknown Artist
ca. 1640–60
Medium
Tin-glazed earthenware
Dimensions
Overall: 5 × 5 × 1/2 in. (12.7 × 12.7 × 1.3 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Pottery
Culture
Dutch, Delft
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Fletcher Fund, 1927
Accession Number
27.199.11
Tags
Art Historical Context
This charming 5-inch square tile, crafted in Delft, Netherlands, around 1640–60, exemplifies the Dutch Golden Age's mastery of tin-glazed earthenware, known as Delftware. Produced in factories like those in Delft, these tiles were fired earthenware coated with a white tin-opacified glaze, allowing vibrant painted designs in cobalt blue—imitating prized Chinese porcelain at a fraction of the cost. Mass-produced yet exquisitely detailed, they adorned the walls of prosperous Dutch homes, kitchens, and fireplaces, offering both decoration and practical moisture resistance. The tile's motifs—playf...