Portugal does it best.......

J E Berger Foundation photo

Portuguese tile....what better source to document the tug of Moorish influence and the seduction of all things Italian....

J E Berger Foundation photo

Lisbon documents the unique blend of tile and architecture....

J E Berger Foundation photo

Smooth, thick blue and white scenic tiles set into arched walkways....

Telling stories through paint and glaze...

J E Berger Foundation photo

Portugal's ornamentation through tile was influenced equally by Africa and Italy.

J E Berger Foundation photo

Portugal used tile as architectural ornamentation in exterior and interior applications.

These tin-glazed ceramic azulejos have been produced uninterrupted for five centuries....

Potters from Flanders, Spain and Italy came to Portugal in the 16th c and brought with them the maiolica technique of painting directly onto tile.

The capital city Lisbon became a maritime center attracting influences from Venice, Spain, Italy,Asia and Africa.


Check out this link for even more fabulous tile work!!!

Those influences were documented through the azulejos, or tiles, applied to walls and ceilings throughout Portugal.

I love the morphing of delft, Islamic and Spanish techniques unique to portuguese tiles...

The Portuguese word azulejo comes from the Arabic "al zulaycha" meaning polished stone.

Houses and Gardens of Portugal by Patrick Bowe is a wonderful source for photos from the height of production in the 17th century.

The Spanish influence was seen early in the 16th c using a variety of colors but was simplified to the blue and white designs that are synonymous with Portugal in the 17th c.

Houses and Gardens of Portugal photo

Wealthy merchants wanted elaborate homes and gardens and the tile workshops were eager to oblige.

Houses and Gardens of Portugal photo

Their combination of sculpture, tile and architecture is unique to Portugal.

Houses and Gardens of Portugal photo

The mild climate allowed elaborate gardens to be built.

Houses and Gardens of Portugal photo

Public walkways and city buildings were covered in azulejos.

 This panel is a nod to the wine making industry in Portugal with its beginnings dating back to the Roman Empire.

National Tile Museum of Lisbon photo

The National Tile Museum of Lisbon documents the history of azulejos from the 16th to 18th c.

Portugal....where else is there such a perfect marriage of gilded ornamentation, faux marble and elaborate tile murals? Perfection..!