Historical information
Tiles are formed using the using the same tools as four centuries ago, namely a knife and a wooden mould with little nails in the corners. Afterwards, the imprints of the nails remain visible as minute points in the glaze.
After the first baking, the tile is glazed. The wet glaze is imprinted with a charcoal powder design. Then the painter redraws the lines with a fine paint brush and uses his own craftsmanship to color with paints that are in fact glazes colored by a metal oxide. The second baking blends these colors with the layer of tin glaze. The result is a unique and beautiful tile.
Significance
Tile design, making and baking is a traditional Dutch craft and continues today. The province of Friesland has its own traditions in the field of which this tile is a sample.
Physical description
Off-white pottery tile with blue coloured proverb in the Frisian language. There are also some blue glaze decorations in the four corners.
On the back the brand name Harlingen Holland forms part of an imprint. There is also a hook for hanging.
Inscriptions & markings
The proverb reads: "Doch dyn plicht en lit de lju mar rabje." (Do your duty and just let people talk).
References
- Harlinger Aardewerk The entire process of manufacture is clearly explained and illustrated on this site.
