Tile 1879 - 1884

Curator: This is an encaustic tile created by J. and J. G. Low Art Tile Works between 1879 and 1884. Editor: The cool teal hues and simple geometry have a rather calming, almost hypnotic effect. The surface looks smooth to the touch, doesn't it? Curator: The circular motifs bring to mind cosmological symbolism, and it speaks to a search for universal order within the decorative arts during this period. There's a rhythm implied, a sense of things being connected. Editor: Connected perhaps to broader trends, too? During the late 19th century, as industrialization ramped up, works like this championed handcrafted design, as part of the Arts and Crafts movement pushing against mass production and exploitation of workers. Curator: Exactly! The design aesthetic emphasizes organic forms, craftsmanship, and intricate patterns that were designed to have social and cultural resonance beyond decoration. Look closely, and you see tiny variations that speaks to the human touch involved in their production. Editor: Given this historical context, I wonder about access and privilege? Who gets to experience art in their domestic settings, especially when such pieces require significant investment in materials and artisanship? Were these tiles, by and large, destined for homes upholding structures of social inequality? Curator: The Arts and Crafts movement sought a return to pre-industrial conditions. This can be seen as idyllic and backwards-looking; it glossed over its relationship with social progress. It wasn't revolutionary. However, some interpretations read the tile's geometries not just as decorative motifs, but also signs, as maps or mandalas, which would carry power within particular cultural interpretations. Editor: It definitely provides plenty to consider – beyond just its appealing design. The aesthetic charm pulls us in, and hopefully opens questions to spark discussions. Curator: It’s precisely within those contradictions that it maintains relevance today; a beautiful object holding within it complicated questions about social structure and human aspiration.