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Cuban Mortar Tiles Chapter 6: Accessories and Imitation Materials
Chapter 6:
Accessories and Imitation of Other Materials
Imitation of other Materials
In its early years the mortar tile was made to imitate other materials such as
marble, traditional mosaic, encaustic ceramic tiles (sometimes with hexagonal
patterns imitating mediaeval tiles) and even wood. The product only later
developed its own language of graphic patterns which then fl ourished and
multiplied as we have seen. Nevertheless the imitation patterns continued to be
used, with different “materials” favoured in different rooms - “marble” for main
rooms and cheaper “materials” for subsidiary spaces.
Marbling
The marbling effect produced with a special spoon gathered popularity over the
years until, in the 1940s and 1950s, marbled tiles were used almost ubiquitously
in even the most modest of houses. The marbling effect could also be combined
with a fl at colour design within a single tile (as can just be seen in the border
tile in fi g. 62). Marbled fl oors could then match with other cast elements which
used the marbling technique such as skirtings, dados, door surrounds, applied
pilasters (as seen at the house at Calle 15 #58, Havana).
Brick - Wood - ‘Roman’ mosaic - Encaustic clay tiles
Across Cuba the ‘brick’ pattern (fi g.71) was a popular tile for kitchens and service
spaces. Examples from the extensive range of tiles for subsidiary
spaces are shown below, including “ceramica incrustada” (fi g. 70) wood parquet
patterns (fi g. 68), a number of “mosaic” patterns (fi g. 65) for bathrooms
and hallways. There was a tendency for tiles in these rooms to imitate materials
previously used in such spaces (lowly, scrubbable ‘brick’ in kitchens, traditional
‘mosaic’ in bathrooms, ‘clay’ paving for passageways).
15. Iran Millan in conversation June 2009
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”
Tiles for External Spaces
In addition to the occasional use of ‘wood’ pattern tile, in reality any number of
tile designs can be seen in the front portales. Certain patterns were used more
commonly, an example of which is seen in fi g.38. The durability of coloured mosaico
tiles used in portal locations seems to vary, obviously depending on the
amount of exposure and traffi c. Expectably, in busier, more public portals which
are part of the pavement the pattern has often worn. The colours often appear
faded since the external tile surface cannot be kept brilliant in the same way as
an interior fi nish or even one in a private portal. That interior tiles did not last
well outside of a sheltered location is shown by themdeterioration of a tile on an
exposed roof terrace in the Casino Espanol, Sagua la Grande, but which is still
in mint condition in the sheltered front portal of Zayas #4, Santa Clara.
“Roman Mosaic” with relief
In these, the base of the mould has a raised relief (fi g. 64) which, when the tile
is pressed and then removed, leaves an impression of recessed ‘joints’. The
grey border tiles in fi g. 6 use the same ‘trepa’ but with grey pigment only – no
colour.
Grey Cement with Relief Pattern
The toughest type of mosaico hidraulico is, as one might expect, the plain grey
cement tile complete with impressed pattern. With no colour to wear off, and a
simple non-slip relief, the tile provides a durable surface for public and private,
external and semi-external spaces. The tile found in the portales of Calle
Cardenas (fi g. 67) shows a common pattern found in Havana. Another example
is the concentric circle pattern found in the portal of the Caridad Theatre in
Santa Clara, and also seen on pavements of for example Calle Colon, Sagua la
Grande. This last was made by the mosaico factory in Placetas. 2 It is likely the
pavement tile in Calle Cardenas was also made in Cuba.
2. Felicia Hernandez in interview August 3rd 2009.