Welcome to part two of Portugal Pottery! This series is all about my Portugal life. In part one I shared all about the great dishes and houseware items that Portugal produces. Today I’m covering the famous tiles, also known as “azulejos”. To better explain what an azulejo is…I’ll let Wikipedia help me.
Azulejo is a form of Spanish and Portuguese painted tin-glazed ceramic tilework. Azulejos are found on the interior and exterior of churches, palaces, ordinary houses, schools, and nowadays, restaurants, bars and even railways or subway stations. They were not only used as an ornamental art form, but also had a specific functional capacity like temperature control in homes.
There is also a tradition of their production in former Spanish and Portuguese colonies in South America, Africa (Angola or Mozambique), or in the Philippines. They still constitute a major aspect of Portuguese architecture as they are applied on walls, floors and even ceilings. Many azulejos chronicle major historical and cultural aspects of Portuguese history.
Tiles like these are everywhere. We actually have a tile scene on the front of our home. Even street names are in azulejo tiles. I honestly don’t even notice the tiles as much anymore because they are everywhere!
Recently Jill and I took a day to go visit some shops where the azulejos are handmade. Wow, it was really interesting to see what goes into making these gorgeous tiles.
These above were for sale and could be used on a house or patio wall. Below were the smaller tiles that you could use for just about anything. Bathrooms, kitchens etc.
I’d like to mention how cool that red chair is! Love it.
Here is the part that amazed me…they are ALL hand painted. I need to mention that the buildings that we were in did not have any heat. So these lovely painters sit in the cold and paint these meticulous tiles.
They make a carbon print of the design onto the fresh tile and then work to paint the design. Finally they put it into a kiln to set the colors.
The second shop we visited had four to five people all hand painting. I spoke with one of the painters and asked her how she became a painter. She told me that she went to school to study to be a painter. What an art.
Please notice the space heater below.
These shops produce tiles that they ship all over the world. The tiles can be used in so many ways. From decor, to table tops, to kitchen trivets. I love the variety of styles and colors. But I am also so impressed that they can produce one after another that match and look alike.
I purchased a set of tiles that spell out our last name. A little something to bring back to the States when we return.
I was so delighted to see a craft and talent still marching forward. What a gift. The beauty of the tiles shines even more when you realize that each color was carefully hand painted. Thanks so much for coming along with me!
In my “Portugal Life” series I am attempting to shed some light on the challenges and opportunities of being an expat, along with the beautiful parts I love about European living. Please let me know what you want to hear about and I’ll do my best to cover it!
