Tile
ca. 1882–84
Medium
Earthenware
Dimensions
4 1/4 x 4 1/4 in. (10.8 x 10.8 cm)
Classification
Tile
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Bequest of Adeline R. Brown, by exchange, 1977
Accession Number
1977.373.14
Art Historical Context
This charming earthenware tile, produced by J. and J. G. Low Art Tile around 1882–84, the height of American decorative arts during the Gilded Age. just 4¼ x 4¼ inches, it was crafted for architectural embellishment, such as fireplaces, hearths, or interior panels in fashionable homes. The Low brothers, based in Chelsea, Massachusetts, were pioneers in the U.S. tile industry, one of the first factories dedicated to artistic ceramics in 1877. Their works blended industrial precision with Aesthetic Movement ideals, drawing inspiration from Japanese motifs, Islamic patterns, and European maiolica...