Comments on: Delft Tiles In Fournier St

By: Barbara Gordley

Barbara Gordley — Sat, 09 Apr 2016 16:36:59 +0000

Hello from New Orleans and thank you for such a fascinating and beautiful posting. I do think that the subject identified as St Jerome might rather be Daniel in the Lion’s Den as all of the other subjects are biblical and the original owner of the home most likely a Protestant.

By: Helen Breen

Helen Breen — Sat, 09 Apr 2016 13:08:01 +0000

Greetings from Boston

Again, GA, what a fascinating post. And such interesting comments.

Joan, loved that excerpt from Dickens – how apropos. I feel fortunate to be in such thoughtful company…

By: William Hill

William Hill — Sat, 09 Apr 2016 12:52:23 +0000

A fascinating survival. Have been round many Dutch Houses, but do not recall seeing biblical tiles. More from the Dutch Tile Museum http://www.nederlandstegelmuseum.nl/Museum/Geschiedenis_English.htm

By: Colin Barber

Colin Barber — Sat, 09 Apr 2016 11:01:01 +0000

Fascinating – as always – piece and of particular interest to those of us in the tile trade, well those of us who care anyway.
I have worked on a house in Fournier St for an artist client – it was a most interesting and evocative building, and was a great pleasure to have played a part in it’s careful restoration.

By: Joan Barleycorn

Joan Barleycorn — Sat, 09 Apr 2016 08:57:16 +0000

Apologies for the length of the quote but reading today’s entry I was immediately reminded of chapter 1 of ‘A Christmas Carol’: ‘.

It was a very low fire indeed; nothing on such a bitter night. He was obliged to sit close to it, and brood over it, before he could extract the least sensation of warmth from such a handful of fuel. The fireplace was an old one, built by some Dutch merchant long ago, and paved all round with quaint Dutch tiles, designed to illustrate the Scriptures. There were Cains and Abels, Pharaoh’s daughters; Queens of Sheba, Angelic messengers descending through the air on clouds like feather-beds, Abrahams, Belshazzars, Apostles putting off to sea in butter-boats, hundreds of figures to attract his thoughts; and yet that face of Marley, seven years dead, came like the ancient Prophet’s rod, and swallowed up the whole. If each smooth tile had been a blank at first, with power to shape some picture on its surface from the disjointed fragments of his thoughts, there would have been a copy of old Marley’s head on every one.

An image that had stayed with me ever since I first read the book.

As ever, the links to previous posts lead to a richer appreciation of arts, crafts and the lives of artisans in the neighbourhood. Thank you for signposting me to Simon Pettet and his wonderful fireplace. I suspect the strict, dark haired gentleman, who bades all visitors hold their tongue on entering Dennis Severs’ shrine, will evict me next time I visit for chambering around in the fireplace.

By: Valerie-Jael

Valerie-Jael — Sat, 09 Apr 2016 08:15:06 +0000

The tiles are very interesting, and I am sure many people will have wondered about the stories behind them. The ‘topless’ lady could also have been Jael, a woman who lured a man, Sisera, into her tent and then killed him as she knew that he was an enemy of her people. (Judges 4) But whoever she was, the tiles are historically interesting. Valerie

By: Linda Brownlee

Linda Brownlee — Sat, 09 Apr 2016 07:57:12 +0000

These are beautiful as examples of the skills and artistic ability of the time. however, for me they help to explain how important Denis Seevers beautiful house in Folgate Street is for those of us who need the whole picture! Love the tiles but love them better as part of that fantastical experience! Thank you, thank you for bringing a lost century alive in London. My recent trip lives with me still.

By: Caroline Bottomley

Caroline Bottomley — Sat, 09 Apr 2016 07:47:40 +0000

How very wonderful.
Noting again women in strong / central roles in many of these.
St Sebastien wouldn’t look out of place here 🙂

By: John Barrett

John Barrett — Sat, 09 Apr 2016 07:35:53 +0000

Its amazing these tiles from the old house in Fournier St have survived the passage of time and the wartime blitzkrieg. In fact they are picture books many showing biblical scenes, every picture tells a story. I can imagine the families sitting around the fireplace watching the shadows dancing across the tiles and discussing the many scenes. Well presented. John

By: David Wilson

David Wilson — Sat, 09 Apr 2016 07:30:52 +0000

Hi Gentle Author

I think that Sister Elizabeth may have made a mistake in describing one tile as “The soldiers bring purple robes to Jesus to rebuke him when he claims to be an emperor.” Jesus is always shown with a halo – though the different artists employ different forms: one a glowing aura around his head, the other a little hoop over his head. In this scene the man sitting on the right is halo-less, so surely has to be someone else. There is at least one tile from the Joseph stories, and so I’m pretty sure that this one actually showing Joseph’s brothers bringing his torn and bloodied coat to their father Jacob.