Ceramics

A group of five enamelled ceramic tiles decorated in blue, from the mid-15th century in pure Gothic style. A square tile, set like a rhombus, is surrounded by four six-sided tiles called 'alfardons'. These sets were used to cover floors or walls. In this case the square tiles show a shoe in negative, white on blue, the symbol of the shoemakers' guild. The 'alfardons' each have two compound leaves separated by two strings interwoven to form a rope. The tiles with coats of arms of the different guilds are very abundant, seeing as the chapels and the headquarters of each of them, very important in the 14th and 15th centuries, were decorated with their own elements and coats of arms. The shoemakers' guild was one of the oldest and strongest. It had its own hospital and its patron saint was Saint Crispin.