Encaustic Tile 1870 - 1875

This encaustic tile was made by the American Encaustic Tiling Company sometime between 1875 and 1935. The company, based in Zanesville, Ohio, was one of the largest tile manufacturers in the United States. Here, we see a square tile adorned with stylized floral and foliate motifs, rendered in contrasting colors. The visual vocabulary is derived from historical precedents, echoing medieval designs, and reflects the broader Arts and Crafts movement's turn away from industrialization. The company mass-produced tiles that were then used in both domestic and commercial architectural settings. To understand the tile fully, we might consider the company's catalogues and archival records to illuminate the social and economic factors shaping its production and distribution. The tile bridges the gap between craft and industry, art and utility, reminding us that art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.