Twee vloertegels 1877 - 1880

These two tile designs were sketched by the Dutch artist Jac van Looij, most likely in the late 19th or early 20th century. They appear to be rendered with graphite on paper. This immediately begs the question: why a drawing of tiles, rather than the tiles themselves? We can assume that Van Looij was interested in their aesthetic qualities, in particular the challenge of translating heraldic motifs—a fleur-de-lis, and what appears to be an eagle—into a repeatable format. The industrial production of tiles depended on a division of labor, with designers often separated from the actual making. While Van Looij was a painter and writer, not a ceramicist, this drawing speaks to the broad cultural interest in design reform at the turn of the century. The Arts and Crafts movement sought to elevate the status of everyday objects, like tiles, through thoughtful design. This drawing, then, is not just a record, but an act of appreciation, recognizing the artistry inherent in even the most humble of materials.