Algarve Azulejos
You'll see them if you're out and about... Algarve azulejos adding some colour and history to the surroundings. What are azulejos?They were tiles peculiar to Portugal, and are used to decorate surfaces small or large in Portuguese homes and buildings. They developed from an art form that some claim was introduced when Portugal was under Moorish occupation. The original form of azulejos probably had only geometric designs, since some adherents of Islam shun images of living beings. After the Moorish rule ended in the Iberian peninsula, the tradition of manufacturing the glazed, decorative tiles was retained, and is popular still. Blue and yellow seem to have been the predominant colours of early examples of Algarve azulejos, with designs, once undertaken by the Portuguese and Flemish craftsmen, featuring mainly floral patterns or religious (i.e. Christian) subjects. As the Portuguese maritime exploits expanded both empire and influences, the subjects for the designs became ever more varied and exotic. It is widely believed that the mainly blue designs that came about from the late 17th and early 18th centuries were inspired by the blue-and-white designs of the popular Chinese porcelain that was finding its way to Europe. The blueness of many azulejos led some to fancy that the name was somehow connected with 'azul', which is Portuguese for blue. A tempting theory, but incorrect, I'm assured. Portuguese who had visited Brazil reported that such tiles were effective as damp-proofing for houses, and in Lisbon, after the 1755 earthquake necessitated extensive rebuilding, many houses were entirely covered in tiles - a practice that can still be encountered in modern-day Portugal, and notably throughout the Algarve. You'll see examples of azulejos in craft shops and tourist outlets all over Algarve and Portugal. Some are spectacularly lovely, others rather less so. Some are quite obviously produced for the tourist market, with little attempt at authenticity. Many smaller azulejos are sold in the form of individual numbers or letters, so that a small plaque identifying a house can be formed. A more 'bespoke' approach is to commission a house-name or -number direct from the craftsman/artist that produces them, thus obtaining a distinctive design that neighbours are unlikely to be able to emulate. By dealing direct with the creator, colourways and designs can be compared and selected before the azulejos are produced. It was while hunting for floor tiling that I chanced upon an Briton with a long association with Portugal and the Algarve and whose workshop/studio produces a huge variety of different azulejo-based items. Read on to learn how I discovered Charles and his...
Workshop of Algarve AzulejosVisiting Algarve to sort out the details of our villa with our 'finishing' builder, I was driving around (in circles) on the lookout for suitable tiles for flooring and terracing the property. When I saw the word 'tiles' on a premises that offered easy parking, I immediately pulled in and stopped. Of course, I soon learned that azulejos are not suitable for such rough service, but I was intrigued with what Charles produced, and lingered for a chat. No surprises there, as Nev would say... and this is what I learned: Although an ancient art, azulejos are still produced, and can accommodate just about any design whim you might name, from traditional to modern. From his 'azulejaria' in Almancil, Charles Clements produces designs to his customers' requirements, with proper preliminary discussion to ensure that the pieces are just right for their intended use. How Charles came to Almancil is quite a story, too. He was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and moved to Portugal with his parents when he was aged only four. His circuitous route to Algarve was via Cascais, Sintra, Lisbon and the Alentejo. He returned to the UK to study art in Liverpool, then moved back to Portugal in 1989, to learn the tile-maker's art at the Sant'Ana factory in Lisbon. Charles set up his own studio in Sintra, but 'itchy feet' soon took him to Estremoz. There, in 1992, he expanded his horizons by establishing a small factory where he diversified into production of plates, vases and stoneware. Eventually, he decided that his heart lay in the making of tiles in the tradition of the 17th and 18th centuries, and that's when he moved his operation to the present premises in Almancil. How Charles Makes His Algarve AzulejosClay, glazes, oxides and paints are bought in from northern Portugal. That's because, as Charles is one of the few ceramic studios in Algarve, there are no local suppliers of authentic materials. The clay tiles are individually produced and are air-dried for between two and three weeks. Only then are they fired in an oven, after which they are glazed and hand-painted, to become authentic Algarve azulejos.
Most tiles are 14 centimetres square, but can be produced in any size or style, from antique Portuguese to Moroccan or even abstract and modern. Even photographic images and textile patterns can be transferred onto the ceramic surface, thus providing a match that will gladden the heart of any interior designer. Designs can range from huge (see picture above) to a single tile, or three, or six... Algarve azulejos can be produced to suit kitchens, bathrooms, mirrors, walls, barbeque areas or table tops - in fact, any flat surface can be decorated with azulejos. The only limit is your imagination.
See for yourself how azulejos could enhance your home, by visiting: Charles Tel: 289 358 011 How to get there (centre of Almancil is on right of map) -
From the main road through Almancil (Rua da Estrada de Faro) turn onto Rua do Comercio heading south west. Charles' premises will be on your right. And, if you can't make it soon, you could just call and ask Charles about any idea you have for an azulejo design and he can advise you of what can be done to bring it to fruition.
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