Golden age of Portuguese tile

The country of Portugal is located within the continent of Europe and it has a very deep rooted and rich cultural history which has had a very strong impact in its social and cultural life. The tiles in Portugal can be recognized as a very significant part of Portuguese culture and display great artistic quality. In Portugal these tiles are referred to as azulejos and this term has been adapted form the Arabic az-zulavi which means a kind of refined or polished stone. The Portuguese tiles are extremely well-known worldwide for their intricate designs and exquisite beauty and they are available in a wide variety of bright colors. These tiles adorn buildings and pavements and serve various purposes. While some of them display artistic depictions of historical events, some others simply serve as name plates and street signs.

The golden age of Portuguese tiles can roughly be recognized as the time period between the 17th and 18th centuries. The origin of the golden age began with the introduction of the exotic blue and white tile designs which are indigenous to Portugal now. It is to be noted that these blue and white azulejos were initially introduced in Portugal by a Spanish citizen named Gabriel Del Barco. The immense popularity of thee blue and white azulejos in the 17th century is particularly evident in the fact that it was adapted in the different parts of Europe as a popular art from. The golden age of Portuguese tiles is also referred to as the great master’s cycle as during this period the Portuguese tile painters received the status of artists and therefore their creations were deemed to be of similar value as an artwork. Many of the tile painters are also believed to have signature tiles. These provide evidence to the fact why this era was popularly regarded as the golden age of Portuguese tiles.