Glazed Charm

Book excerpt: Tiles form an important part of the great Dutch tradition of tin-glazed earthenware, internationally renowned as 'Delftware'. The prescence of the right raw materials and manufacturing skills as well as a sufficiently large clientele allowed tile-production to reach an impressive scale in the provinces of Holland, Friesland and Utrecht. This catalogue brings together and illustrates nearly 600 tiles with descriptions, dating, dimensions and provenances. The tiles cover a chronological range of over 400 years, although with a particular focus on the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and are arranged thematically within periods. Introductory essays highlight the beauty, diversity and craftsmanship of the tiles, frequently pointing out how these interacted with other cultures and art forms. Parallel English and Dutch text.