Façade azulejo panel with roses pattern

The semi-industrial and industrial production of pattern azulejos for façade revetment in urban buildings had its main production centres in Lisbon, Porto and Gaia. Few of the factories of the second half of the 19th century, which were responsible for vast production which also ended in Brazil, were actually originated in the 18th century. This is, however, the case of Fábrica de Massarelos which was founded in 1763, so, even before Real Fábrica da Louça, in Rato, a Pombaline venture, in 1767, designed to increase Portuguese ceramic output. Although unmarked, the azulejos in this panel are by consensus attributed to Massarelos, for it is known as having produced relief examples moulded by hand. Pattern azulejos with a pronounced relief, although used in other places, correspond to a characteristic taste of the north of Portugal and particularly of the city of Porto, with its strong baroque tradition.