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Cuban Mortar Tiles Chapter 4: Across Cuba
Regional Character
There are tiles in Baracoa which have a chunky graphic character, bolder and
less fl oral than other tiles seen in Baracoa. It is tempting to say that these more
rustic designs are the ‘home-grown’ ones produced by the local factories. The
current owners of the house at Marti 289 stated the fl oors are from the Badel
factory while the owner of Calle Ciro Frias #14 (fi g 43) stated their fl oors are
from the Prada factory. Figs 44 and 45 show other examples which might or
might not have been made by either the Badel or Prada factories. The designs
seem to have in common a slightly “jungle-print” graphic quality and earthier
colours than the mosaicos of Havana. Figs 60 and 61 show an example of a
chunky Baracoa copy of a delicate Havana tile. The identical tile pattern can
however also be seen in Santiago de Cuba (fi g 62) and provenance remains a
mystery.
16. Juan de las Cuevas “Libro de Materiales de Construccion”
17. Comment by Armando Lopez, builder aged 80, interview July 2009.
18. Comment by Armando Lopez, builder aged 80, interview July 2009.
19. Juan de las Cuevas “Libro de Materiales de Construccion”
43 44
45 46
Figs 43,44 amd 45: three examples showing
the chunky graphic of Baracoa tiles. Clockwise
from top left; Ciro Fria #14, Felix Rubert #11,
Marti #22.
Fig 46: The owner of this house advised these
were the last tiles made in the 1960s by the
Badel factory.