California Decorative Tile

California Decorative Tile

Tile evokes the warm and artistic nature of California along with the historic character of its past. Introduced to the state during Spanish occupation, tile remained a central decorative element in the early twentieth century. Arts and Crafts-style bungalows showcased tile with picturesque scenes and natural motifs rendered in earthy tones. In Spanish Colonial Revival-style homes, decorative tile in bold patterns and brightly colored glazes accentuated terra cotta roof and floor tiles. Many California kitchens and bathrooms still feature extensive tilework, while tile adorns fireplace surrounds, staircase risers, fountains, and patios. Durable, easy to clean, and highly ornamental yet cost-effective, tile is also an insulator and provides an element of coolness in warm weather.

Tilemaking dates to the ancient Egyptians, who lined the door jambs of their pyramids with turquoise blue tiles. During the late tenth or early eleventh centuries, the English pioneered relief tilemaking by stamping designs into clay tiles before they were glazed and fired. In Mesopotamia and Persia, Islamic ceramicists created complex, interlocking tile panels; the most ornate, installed in mihrabs, or prayer niches, indicated the direction of Mecca. When tilemaking was imported to Moorish Spain by Islamic potters in the thirteenth century, they introduced tin-glazed decorating and the use of glaze resists to divide colors into vibrant patterns. The swirling glaze-resist lines of cuerda seca tiles and the colorful, relief-stamped designs of cuenca tiles are distinctive of Spanish and Mexican tilemaking.

At the turn of the twentieth century, California tilemakers looked to the past for inspiration in style and design. A golden era of tilemaking emerged as ceramicists combined time-tested techniques with rich clay deposits found throughout the state. For four decades, California produced remarkable tile that showcased historical romanticism alongside modern artistry. With the exception of the largest companies, California makers did not mass-produce tile. Most tilemakers employed manufacturing processes to streamline production, with varying degrees of handwork and finishing that added to the allure of their work. The finest tiles produced in California from the 1910s–40s stand as a testament to the state’s rich architectural history. This exhibition features decorative California tile by Los Angeles and Bay Area companies from the collection of the Tile Heritage Foundation.

A very special thank you to Tile Heritage Foundation for making this exhibition possible.

[inset image]
California Art Tile catalog page  c. 1930
California Art Tile Company | Richmond, CA
Courtesy of Tile Heritage Foundation
R2024.1101.090

@SFOMuseum
#CaliforniaTile

© 2024 by San Francisco Airport Commission. All rights reserved.