Delftware Tiles (Shire Library)

In the sixteenth century, the art of decorating tiles using a tin glaze was introduced to the Low Countries by Italian potters. Soon after, native potters adopted the technique, and in the centuries that followed they produced vast quantities of these beautifully ornate tiles. While their subjects ranged from itnricate florals and mythical creatures to depictions of both historical and biblical events, the distinctive blue and white of delftware tiles has set them apart in the ceramics expert Hans van Lemmen explores how these pieces were made, and the differences between Dutch tiles and their English delft counterparts.