About Italian Tiles, Part 1 of 2

A Short history of the various forms of tile in Italy

For the last 6 weeks I’ve been carrying around two sets of keys, one to the old place and one to the new. I had expected dust and hammers right away but so far it’s just been forms, photocopies and lots of government stamps.

But I have been studying materials and visiting salvage yards, modern home supply stores and talking at length at anyone that came to the school this year that works in the field (4 architects, 3 designers and an expert at theatrical acoustics around the world).

Here is what I’ve recently learned about the history of Italian tile.

Cotto

(San Severo, Puglia. Cotto cut as brick. 14 century abby turned into hotel).

Humans have been firing clay to cover floors for 10,000 years. Like stone and then bronze, firing clay has always been one of the elements that historians use as indicators of technology and culture. ‘How long did this group take to figure this out’?

Terra cotta [‘cooked earth’], is usually called ‘cotto’, here in Italy, when used as a floor covering. It’s still used and is now one of the most expensive ways to cover a floor.

Cotto lasts forever- it’s been helpful even in the study of lava-covered Pompeii- but has only fallen out of use because of its cost, and that its porous nature holds onto moss, mold and any unwanted liquid that enters its pores. Still, it feels wonderful on bare feet.

Terra cotta is clay that is mashed and mixed with water, formed, dried and then fired to 1000° centigrade. It has a tremendous amount of soul when done right but it’s upkeep isn’t right for a cooking school nor anyone with a little black girlfriend.

Maioliche

Maiolica (or ‘majolica’) are ceramic tiles that are dipped, painted and then fired, so that you have bright colours, as if the disciplines of painting and ceramics had had lovechild together.

Named after its original departure point of Majorca, Spain, Italy became the principle consumer in the 11th century. The technique soon took off here as well, with Vietri sul Mare becoming one of the Italian hubs. (Picture above. Ciccia in Napoli, in the three-hundred year old Chiostre di Santa Chiara).

Outside of Italy certainly the most famous Italian ceramic city is Deruta, in Umbria. The artists are better known for objects versus flooring though and it’s likely you have a piece or two at home. (Notice the cartoon-technique, of using dust in a bag and perforated paper to trace patterns, the same method that your favourite renaissance painter used for fresco technique).

Cementine

(My yet-to-be-cleaned and polished cementine at the new school. This will be the pasta room).

See the video below to see why they are so expensive and cherished. Several studios here in the Salento quote prices as starting at 178 Euro a metro quadrato.

I had originally planned to cover all the floors with locally-made cementine but the showrooms stopped answering my enquires each time I asked any of them for a quote.

It’s not often that I move in such circles, ‘if you have to ask you can’t afford it’.

Most of the solutions I’ve found are far more modern. And that will be the subject of About Italian Tiles Part 2

Silvestro

Lecce