| | | | Le carreau de provins
| | | House of local products and handicrafts
21 rue du Palais
Place du Châtel
77160 PROVINS
Phone: 33 (0) 1 60 67 64 54
Web site: www.lecarreaudeprovins.fr
e-mail:
Cette adresse email est protégée contre les robots des spammeurs, vous devez activer Javascript pour la voir.
| |  
At the time of Thibaut IV, the huge medieval fairs of the Champagne country region became the cradles
of a decorative art that radiated throughout Christendom.
Alluvial deposits used through the ages gave the artists, craftsmen and workmen
of the time the material they needed to give free rein to their imagination.
In order to create tiles of a high aesthetic value to adorn the cathedrals and the mansions of the noblemen, they invented a technique that resembled engraving.
These artisans replicated their medieval world: the bestiary prevalent on farms and in the forests,
the heraldic repertory, and various natural vines, together with a whole series of different geometric
shapes that were assembled into larger geometric patterns.
Provins, the capital city of the counts of Champagne, became one of the most famous
of these tile-producing centres.
Once again, Provins has become the centre of a very refined art form.
The Provins Medieval Tile has come to life once more, thanks to the efforts of a few dedicated researchers, artists and historians, all experts in a tile firing process that is almost a form of alchemy.
These specialists have rediscovered the secrets of the tile's composition, analysed and reproduced many
of its ancient patterns, and tested new combinations of different types of clays and metals.
Initially, this endeavour was simply part of a larger effort to preserve our national heritage.
This dedicated group is now ready to offer its expertise to the artists and decorators of today.
The Provins Medieval Tile is highly unusual because of the technique used, i.e.
the incrusting of two very different types of clay.
One clay is used to make the tile itself.
The other ("l'engobe" in French) keeps its natural colour or is tinted with oxides
to create a pattern.
After drying, the tile is glazed. In order to thoroughly replicate traditional medieval techniques, the enamels are made in our workshop.
These enamels, when combined, offer a wide variety of colours.
Le carreau de PROVINS
House of local products and handicrafts
21 rue du Palais
Place du Châtel
77160 PROVINS
Phone: 33 (0) 1 60 67 64 54
Web site: www.lecarreaudeprovins.fr
e-mail:
Cette adresse email est protégée contre les robots des spammeurs, vous devez activer Javascript pour la voir.
|
|
