Here are some pictures of 13th century tiles from Cleeve Abbey in England. They are a combination of geometric and pictorial designs. The latter employing heraldic and literary themes rather than scriptural. The form will be familiar to some through the Victorian neo-gothic tiles that are more common today, and which were based on designs from this period. I am admirer of the later forms as well, incidentally. I view them as an authentic re-establishment of a past tradition and worth looking at not only for the architecture and tiles of the period, but also as case study on how to look to the past in a constructive way.
Thanks to Deacon Iacono of the
Fra Angelico Institute of Sacred Art who brought them to my attention by referring me to an historical account given in the
L'Historien Errant blog.
Above: the abbey church floor; and below: the refectory floor. The others are details of the refectory.
