TILE HISTORY - CHECKERBOARD - THE BEGINNING

Metropolitan Museum of Art Collection

Checkerboard patterns, staggered squares of light and dark appear painted on pottery and woven into textiles from ancient times.  This Egyptian jar in the Metropolitan Museum of Art Collection dates from ca. 3850–2960 B.C.   As stone is incorporated into flooring the checkerboard layout pattern makes it's appearance in civilizations all over the world.  

Villa of Mysteries, Pompeii

This Roman home, known as the Villa of Mysteries was located just outside of Pompeii.  The checkerboard boarder adds definition to this amazing room of frescoes from over two thousand years ago. 

Westminster Abbey, Royal Wedding

Westminster Abbey checkered floor has felt it's fair share of history. The current Abbey was begun in 1245 by King Henry VIII and the original checkered floor was installed around 1690.  Coronations, weddings and funerals have filled the Abbey and now we see it all on color TV.

As architecture and interiors evolve over time the checkerboard floor  is found in palaces, great country houses, churches and a more modest home found in this Vermeer painting.

Jan Vermeer's THE CONCERT

Unfortunately for all of us, this painting was  stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, MA in 1990 and is now hidden from sight.  Painted circa 1664-1667, Vermeer shows us his skill in managing perspective with the checkered floor. I like to think that it was the actual floor of this home and not just Vermeer's minds eye, we'll never know.

Versailles Corridor (Interior)

Becoming the seat of royal power around 1682, the Palace at Versailles went through several building stages, the first one commencing around 1664.  Louis XIV and his architect, LeBrun used fine marble to resemble the imperial palaces of ancient Rome.

Versailles Corridor (Exterior)

Almost 100 years later, Robert Adam, an English architect and designer added a Greek Key overlay onto his checkerboard design at Syon Park.  The excavations at Pompeii and the influence of Grand Tours revived the Roman and Greek influences which was named Neo-classicism.  

Syon Park designed by Robert Adam

The Neo-Classicism architectural movement was international in influence.  In America the movement was exemplified by the White House, Capitol Building and the layout for the city of Washington D.C.  Robert Adam's architectural style was later adapted to what became known as Federal Architecture.  

Neo-Classicism also influences the works of Chippendale, Biedermeier, Hepplewhite and Wedgewood.  The classics also influenced English garden design at Chiswick House, Stowe House and Stourhead.