Ashlars of "pombalino" pattern tiles

The Portuguese tradition of covering interior wall revetments with pattern azulejos throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, which was rarely used in the first half of the 18th century, re-emerged at the time of the reconstruction of Lisbon following the earthquake that had destroyed the city in 1755. These were the so-called Pombaline patterns, named after Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, Count of Oeiras and Marquis de Pombal (b. 1699 - d. 1782), Secretary of State in the reign of King D. José I (r. 1750 -1777). It was an efficient and low-cost solution which continued to be used during the reign of Queen D. Maria I (r. 1777 - 1816). More often seen in the Pombaline patterns, the decorative schemes now used as ashlars included rotating forms and diagonal rhythms typical of 17th century Portuguese azulejos. They were generally formed by alternating an azulejo with a radial motif, a crocket, and another in grid shape. At this time the commissions that were traditionally associated with the Church and the nobility began also to be made by a rising middle-class promoted by the Marquis de Pombal. As far as the pattern itself is specifically concerned, production here moved towards total democratisation, leading in the second half of the 19th century to exterior revetments being placed on ordinary buildings. Graciete Rodrigues e Feliciano David collection.