Tile with Plant, from a set of moulded tiles

This rare scene of a reclining women with birds is testament to the creative ability of Aesthetic Movement designers and manufacturers in using decorative tiles with lustrous glazes to make ceramic pictures; which are comparable in tone and quaility to painted works. While this art tile picture was once incorporated into a fireplace surround and architectural paneling, similar tiles were used for display on cabinets and table tops during the late 19th century. One can see how the taste for tiles was predicated on their aesthetic merits as well as their utility.