The most celebrated painted faïence, or tin-glazed, tiles of Renaissance France are those from the Château d'Ecouen. The château was rebuilt to an austere and modern design for one of the country's richest noblemen, Anne de Montmorency, following his appointment as Constable of France. The château made more comprehensive use of painted tilework than any other French building of the period. Montmorency, who had previously ordered tiles from Antwerp for the Château de Fère-en-Tardenois, this time turned to Masseot Abaquesne, a potter from Rouen. The first series of tiles was made for the château in 1542.

However, on the occasion of the accession of Henri II (r.1547-59), a frequent visitor to Écouen, new decorations to the cháteau were ordered, and Abaquesne was commissioned to produce a new pavement, of which this section is a part. The complete pavement consisted of a series of heraldic emblems held within square or circular blue frames which were linked by smaller circular frames containing the monogram of Montmorency and his wife. The primary heraldic emblems were divided so that on one row were the arms of Montmorency, his wife and his badge of office, while on the next were the arms of Henri II and Catherine of Medici. The white ground between the various heraldic motifs was covered with finely drawn grotesques following designs by Jacques Androuet Du Cerceau.