19th Century Ravesteijn Blue & White Delft Tile of a Bull

An antique blue and white Delft 6-inch tile of a bull manufactured by Ravesteijn of Utrecht; one of two similar themed tiles we are selling. This original fireplace tile was reclaimed from a Grade II listed building dating from 1752.

Handpainted in an expressive blue colour on a white background, this image is taken from print drawings from J. Jonston’s book ‘Historia Naturalis’ published in 1650.

The large bull is intricately illustrated within a roundel with sunflower spandrels to the corners. 19th century delftware tiles in this manner are widely attributed to the Ravesteijn tile factory in Utrecht, Netherlands.

We are also selling various other Delft tiles by Ravesteijn of Utrecht; ideal for a collector’s cabinet.

J. Jonston’s ‘Historia Naturalis’

Published in the mid 17th century, John Jonson’s (1603-1675) encyclopaedia was one of the first early modern works of zoology and botany. Such was the Polish doctor’s knowledge that the book was republished and translated into many languages, becoming one the most influential natural world resources of its time.

The famous encyclopaedia spans five volumes dedicated to various aspects of wildlife. Each is filled with a range of bold illustrations, serving as inspiration for this range of animal series Ravesteijn tiles.

In the 19th century, Ravesteijn of Utrecht took inspiration from Jonston’s drawings, creating tiles made in a special Delftware format for the English market. Foundries such as Coalbrookdale in Ironbridge and Thomas Elsley in London were known for setting designs such as these into their iron fire grates.

Delft Tiles

Delft dates back as far as the early 1500s. The Dutch city of Delft, after which the pottery is named, was the major centre of its production. Tiles and pottery made from Delft are applied with a tin and magnesium glaze that gives them their distinctive purple-blue colour.

Their well-known blue and white tiles appeared around 1620 and became world famous, the tiles often painted with scenes from daily life and used to decorate kitchens, chimneypieces, staircases and more.