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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.
Cuban Mortar Tiles Chapter 6: Accessories and Imitation Materials Fig 63: Marbled tiles at Patrocinio #103, Lawton, Havana Fig 64: Marbling spoons and “Roman” mosaic base Fig 65: “Roman” mosaic (with no relief) Fig 66: Plain grey losetas with relief (images courtesy of Jordi Griset) in the bathroom at C. Cienfuegos in the patio at Avenida 56 #2921, #272, Trinidad Cienfuegos Fig 67: Grey cement pavement tiles in Calle Cardenas, Habana Vieja Fig 68: Mosaico hidraulico “parquet” pavement in Calle San Francisco, Havana Fig 69: “Roman” mosaic tiles in the courtyard garden at Marti #263, Trinidad Fig 70: “Mediaeval encaustic clay” tiles in the dining room of Calle Cuba #209, Havana Fig 71: Brick pattern tiles in the kitchen at Calle 13 #104, Santiago de Cuba
Page 1 and 2: Cuban Mortar Tiles International Co
Page 3 and 4: Acknowledgements Firstly to the Bri
Page 5 and 6: Contents Introduction Chapter 1: Wh
Page 7 and 8: Cuban Mortar Tiles Chapter 1: What
Page 9 and 10: Cuban Mortar Tiles Chapter 2: Histo
Page 11 and 12: Cuban Mortar Tiles Havana: Economic
Page 13 and 14: Cuban Mortar Tiles The ‘Escofet
Page 15 and 16: Cuban Mortar Tiles Chapter 1: What
Page 17 and 18: Cuban Mortar Tiles Chapter 4: Acros
Page 19 and 20: Cuban Mortar Tiles Chapter 4: Acros
Page 21 and 22: Cuban Mortar Tiles In the early day
Page 23 and 24: Cuban Mortar Tiles Chapter 5: Commo
Page 25 and 26: Cuban Mortar Tiles Chapter 6: Acces
Page 27: Cuban Mortar Tiles Chapter 5: Commo
Page 31 and 32: Cuban Mortar Tiles Chapter 7: Conve
Page 33 and 34: Cuban Mortar Tiles Bedrooms in larg
Page 35 and 36: Cuban Mortar Tiles Chapter 8: Produ
Page 37 and 38: Cuban Mortar Tiles Chapter 8 Produc
Page 39 and 40: Cuban Mortar Tiles Chapter 9: Probl
Page 41 and 42: Cuban Mortar Tiles Chapter 9: Probl
Page 43 and 44: Cuban Mortar Tiles Bibliography Bib
Page 45 and 46: Cuban Mortar Tiles Appendix A: List
Page 47 and 48: Cuban Mortar Tiles Appendix B: Fabr
Page 49 and 50: Cuban Mortar Tiles Appendix B: (con

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