46
portugal
A Brief History of
PORTUGAL’S
B E A U T I F U L A Z U L E J O T I L E S
BY NINA SANTOS
Azulejos date as far back as the 13th century, when the Moors
invaded the land that now belongs to Spain and Portugal,
but they secured their foothold in Portuguese culture between the
16th and 17th centuries. The word azulejo stems from Arabic roots,
meaning ‘small polished stone’. Originally, they were fairly
simple structures cut into geometric shapes in neutral tones.
It wasn’t until Portugal’s King Manuel I visited Seville and brought the idea
back, that Portugal truly adopted this artwork into its culture. The tiles
were used to cover up the large areas of blank wall that were common
inside buildings during the Gothic period.
Antique azulejos were decorated in a simple color palate, dominated by
blues and whites. It is believed that these colors were influenced by the
Age of Discoveries (15th–18th centuries) and considered fashionable at
the time. The other colors that appeared were yellow (sometimes looking
gold) and green.
After their introduction by King Manuel I, simple geometric shapes were
replaced by more ornate decoration. It was (and still is) typical for the
Portuguese to tell stories about their history, religion, and culture through
this decorative means; they soon became pieces of public artwork.
continue...