Panel of bicolored pavement tiles featuring a royal heraldic pattern. Front photograph.

Pavement tiles, DS 4088 © GrandPalaisRmn / Jean-Gilles Berizzi

Pavement tiles

Description

Not on display

13th century

High Middle Ages

Pavement tiles were used to decorate medieval buildings. These are adorned with royal heraldry and also testify to the use of two-colored tiles from the end of the 13th century.

They are an integral part of the decor of mediaeval buildings, both religious and secular. However, wear and tear of floor coverings, which resulted in their replacement and disappearance, means that very few examples have survived in situ.

This is why this set of tiles in the museum is extremely interesting.

It can be dated to the last quarter of the 13th century, and is an early example of the use of bi-coloured tiles. Identical examples have also been found in very prestigious sites such as Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

Finally, the wonderful sample of royal heraldry that this panel shows us is worth noting, with the fleur-de-lis adopted by Louis VII (King in 1137) as the emblem of the crown, the castle of Castile which Blanche (mother of Saint Louis) brought, and the 5- or 6-petal daisy associated with the coat of arms of Provence and alluding to Margaret of Provence, wife of Saint Louis.

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