Tiles and Crafts

The ‘Tiles and crafts’ exhibition presents a selection of tiles from trades and colleges in Barcelona preserved in the Design Museum of Barcelona, and contrasts them with various objects by outstanding creatives of the current panorama who use craft techniques to materialise their projects.

In the 18th century, it was a prestigious trade in Catalonia, exporting to other countries and at the same time enjoying royal benefits that helped its promotion.  Today, the manufacture of hats continues to be an important artisan component but with a signature style.

Cited in the written sources as ‘wax’ and ‘tallow’ candlesticks, they were abundant in medieval Barcelona as evidenced by carrer de la Cera in the Raval district. This was an important collective because their production was used not only in the luminaire and the liturgy, but also for diverse uses such as cosmetics, shoe shining, for waxing furniture, as a paint binder, in pharmacy, and so on.

In the 18th century, when numerous trades became specialised and independent to create their own professional groups, the Basket maker guild, then called the sisteros, was formed, which included the manufacturersof baskets and other wickerware. In the 20th century, with the advent of plastics and the change of habits in domestic life, the number of basket makers declined, but there are still artisans who make baskets, and especially from wicker and other flexible fibres.

The espadrille was originally rural footwear made by farmers on rainy days and expanded into the urban popular classes during the 15th century, gaining great importance. Handmade espadrilles have become popular today, but the craft of braiding is not only related to footwear, but also in very interesting applications in other areas, such as furniture, esparto rugs and decoration.

The most stable stonemasons were the pickers dedicated to sculpture or imagery, who were considered artisans.Today stonework is very mechanised. However, a group of artisans work with stone in smaller, malleable formats in workshops. Pieces that are sanded and polished serve the everyday environment.

The Shoemakers’ Guild has a long tradition as a professional organisation: it is the first documented trade in Barcelona, in 1203, and goes well into the 20th century, surviving the extinction of the guild system. However, the manual process has not been lost and today we can still find artisan shoes made from quality materials, handmade and with current designs, often custom made.

In medieval Barcelona, in clear economicand commercial expansion, clay objects were adapted to the new and changing needs of society in terms of domestic life, transport or construction. Today, plain terracotta or glazed ceramic continue with the old processes, bringingnew initiatives to the field of product design and contemporary signature pottery, which makethis craft a sector of great, diverse, creativeand quality activity.

The guild of glassmakers enjoyed great influence in medieval Barcelona. On the one hand, a set of rules defended their interests, and on the other hand, they had a wide variety of applications: optics, pharmacy, costume jewellery, mirrors, stained glass, household and storage containers... . Nowadays, numerous artistic proposals in jewellery and design are recovering this trade, and, with great knowledge of the traditional techniques, they offer fragile, attractive and suggestive pieces.