{"product_id":"rare-pair-medieval-french-gothic-floor-tile-depicting-a-crowned-king-queen-4th-century","title":"Rare Pair of Medieval French Gothic Floor Tiles Depicting a King and Queen, Artois, 14th Century","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA exceptionally rare and particularly interesting pair of medieval lead-glazed earthenware floor tiles depicting the three-quarter busts of a crowned king and queen. Each portrait is enclosed within a lobe formed by double concentric lines, the designs intended to be combined with adjoining tiles to create a continuous quatrefoil pattern.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBoth designs belong to the distinctive tradition of fourteenth-century figural tile production in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eArtois, northern France\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, where crowned heads formed part of elaborate decorative pavements in aristocratic and ecclesiastical buildings.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe male figure, classified as \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003etype BB IIa\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e in the published typology of Artois tiles, is depicted in three-quarter profile with flowing, wavy hair, an ermine collar ornamented with small roundels and a crown embellished with a central cabochon. Closely related examples are recorded from \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAndres (No. 24), Hermelinghen (No. 185)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDunes (No. 145)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. The latter was excavated at Notre-Dame de Saint-Omer, where it formed part of the decoration of an octagonal tower.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe companion female portrait is distinguished by her elaborate coiffure, with hair gathered beneath a netted or tasselled headdress, secured by a braided cord. She wears a fur-trimmed tunic, a jewelled collar and an ornamented crown. Corresponding examples are recorded from \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHermelinghen (No. 183)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThérouanne (No. 304)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Jean Boucard has associated the hairstyle with courtly fashions of approximately \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1365–1370\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, although the design belongs more broadly to the later fourteenth century.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe pairing of crowned male and female figures reflects the medieval taste for representations of royalty and nobility in architectural decoration. Such imagery was not confined to ceramic pavements: contemporary accounts record that the apartments of Count Robert II at Hesdin Castle were adorned with rows of sculpted plaster heads wearing gilded crowns.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAn uncommon opportunity to acquire two complementary medieval figural tiles\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, representing the king and queen motifs of the Artois tradition. Together they provide an evocative illustration of the sophisticated Gothic decorative schemes employed in northern France during the fourteenth century.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003ec14th century, Northern France.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach about 12cm : \u003cem\u003eabout 1.7cm thick\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUK shipping included.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCondition:  Chips and some loss and wear of the glaze. Long shallow section missing at the top right of the king \u0026amp; further chips. Sticker\/glue remnants to the reverse. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLiterature: \u003cstrong data-start=\"48\" data-end=\"86\"\u003eCarette, Martine \u0026amp; Derœux, Didier.\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem data-start=\"87\" data-end=\"164\"\u003eCarreaux de pavement médiévaux de Flandre et d'Artois (XIIIe–XIVe siècles).\u003c\/em\u003e Arras: Commission départementale d'Histoire et d'Archéologie du Pas-de-Calais, 1985 p.72\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Antique Ceramics","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":65158859915641,"sku":null,"price":3800.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0914\/3713\/8297\/files\/medieval-heraldic-encaustic-floor-tile-king-queen-royal-portrait-hermelinghen-14th-century-1.png?v=1794230946","url":"https:\/\/antiqueceramics.co.uk\/products\/rare-pair-medieval-french-gothic-floor-tile-depicting-a-crowned-king-queen-4th-century","provider":"Antique Ceramics","version":"1.0","type":"link"}