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Tile
Pugin, Augustus Welby Northmore, born 1812 - died 1852 - Enlarge image
Tile
- Place of origin:
Staffordshire, England (made)
- Date:
1847 (designed)
ca.1850 (made) - Artist/Maker:
Pugin, Augustus Welby Northmore, born 1812 - died 1852 (designer)
Minton & Co. (maker) - Materials and Techniques:
Earthenware with inlaid decoration
- Credit Line:
Given by the Department of Environment
- Museum number:
C.150-1982
- Gallery location:
Architectural Ceramics, room 144, case EXP
In medieval times, tiles were decorated with inlaid clays of different colours. During the Gothic revival, and encouraged by the designer A.W.N Pugin, Herbert Minton developed techniques for producing inlaid tiles in the medieval style, which went into production at Minton and Co. from the 1830s.
The tiles were created by pressing malleable 'plastic' clay into a mould. The mould left impressions on the surface of the tile, which were then filled with coloured liquid clay before the tile was dried and fired at high temperature.
Heraldic patterns were popular designs, and they were sometimes produced on commission. Minton tiles were also used extensively in the nineteenth-century renovation of medieval churches.
This three lion pattern was designed by Pugin for the fireplace of the prince's chamber, the Palace of Westminster. This example is from the House of Commons, laid in 1850.
