11/05/2016
The art of zellige flourished during the Hispano-Moresque period (Azulejo) of the Maghreb and the area known as Al-Andalus (modern day Spain) between 711-1492. The technique was highly developed during the Nasrid Dynasty and Meridian dynasty who gave it more importance around the 14th century and introduced blue, green and yellow colors. Red was added in the 17th century. The old enamels with the natural colors were used until the beginning of the 20th century and the colors had probably not evolved much since the period of Merinids. The cities of Fes and Meknes in Morocco, remain the centers of this art.
Patrons of the art used zellige historically to decorate their homes as a statement of luxury and the sophistication of the inhabitants. Zellige is typically a series of patterns utilizing colourful geometric patterns. This framework of expression arose from the need of Islamic artists to create spatial decorations that avoided depictions of living things, consistent with the teachings of Islamic law.
