Two-Colored Tile
Unknown Artist
15th century
Medium
Fired earthenware with slip decoration and lead glaze
Dimensions
Overall: 4 5/16 x 4 5/16in. (11 x 11cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Tiles
Culture
British
Department
The Cloisters
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Cloisters Collection, 1984
Accession Number
1984.27
Tags
Art Historical Context
This charming 15th-century British tile, known as *Two-Colored Tile*, offers a glimpse into medieval ceramic artistry. Measuring a modest 4 5/16 x 4 5/16 inches, it features depictions of men's heads, likely rendered in a stylized manner typical of the era's decorative motifs. Housed in The Cloisters at the Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of the 1984 Cloisters Collection, this fired earthenware piece exemplifies everyday yet sophisticated craftsmanship from late medieval England. The tile's medium highlights innovative techniques: slip decoration, where liquid clay is trailed or brushed to...