Single Tulip Old Dutch Ceramic Tile

From the early 17th century onwards, Tulips flowered not only in gardens but also as decorative motifs on furniture, textiles, and especially tiles. As a low-lying country, dampness permeated houses in Holland, and as a result tiles such as this with a single orange Tulip with blue trim and fleur-de-lis design became a practical and fashionable wall covering option.

First developed by Ottoman manufacturers in the 15th century, tile making techniques had agradually travelled west, having been adopted in Spain and Italy before arriving in the Netherlands.

The towns of Leiden, Hoorn, and Gouda had established tile works by 1600, followed later by Delft and Amsterdam. 

Tulips first appeared on Dutch tiles around 1610, with fruit often accompanying the flowers. However, with the Dutch becoming ever more infatuated with the flower, Tulips started to appear by themselves in the 1620s.

The design of the tulip tile here dates from approximately 1625.

Size: 4" x 4"