Tristan and Isolde Tile
Being one of the earliest instances of illustrated romanticism outside of manuscripts and a disparity from the other combat tiles, this tile reveals the irony of referencing romantic passion in a church where thoughts of such are presumed to be prohibited. The forbidden love in the Celtic legend of Tristan & Isolde is the centerpiece of this tile from the late 13th century. Commissioned by the court of King Henry III to be utilized as a floor-piece in one of the royal palaces, the red earthenware tile is one in a series of Chertsey tiles depicting events from the Crusades. Glazed over with a golden varnish, the two-tone tile has an outer band around the center roundel with motifs of mythical creatures with human-esque heads and tails that resemble those of dragons. Visual concern appears on the faces of the subjects which is mirrored by Isolde. In the midst of uncertainty and of the supernatural, Isolde partakes in this journey to heal Tristan. Stiff-leaved foliage in the essence of lily flowers are engraved in four decorative borders that encase the roundel.
