Ceramic tiles are a decorative form almost as old as time—originating in ancient Mesopotamia, where they were first used around 4,000 years ago. Today, they serve as a global motif, both ascetic and pictorial, available in a panoply of colors and textures. Formed from the elemental process of firing clay, minerals and water at high heats, tiles become a robust, hard-wearing material with a myriad of applications.
In what is now Italy, tile use and production proliferated in the Roman era – not least in the form of intricate, technicolor mosaics – and the styles embraced in antiquity were an early precedent for those used today. The use of tiles skyrocketed further in the later Renaissance period, with Italian artisans perfecting the medium as an artistic medium, and the country remains perhaps the consummate producer of ceramic and porcelain tiling.
Enter Marca Corona. Founded in 1741, the marque is the oldest porcelain tile manufacturer in the Sassuolo district, the cradle of Italian ceramic production and part of the province of Modena in Emilia-Romagna—a fertile hub for artisanal craft. Today, it has amalgamated historic social, economic and fashion changes, creating beautiful floor and wall tiles that balance traditional nous and contemporary excellence, and positioning the brand as an advocate for distinguished Italian design.
It's a modus operandi exemplified with two new collections under its 'Linea 1741' line of small-size tiles, which hark back to the decoration and geometries of Italian art and craft traditions. 'Longarine Brio' and 'Longarine Calcecreta' – both at a scale of 7.5cm x 60cm – are inspired by the work of ancient artisan workshops, where 'natural powders were compacted into narrow, elongated molds', resulting in a 'dynamic compositional identity' applicable to horizontal, staggered and chevron layouts, in a host of textures.
Take Longarine Brio. The collection is a marvel of tactility, with bas-relief surfaces and cement-like skins melding ceramics with the material effects of troweling and hand-worked resin. The matte finish is richly textured, offering deep chiaroscuro and a spectrum of beautifully saturated hues informed by natural elements. These hues shift in the permuting light, ranging from juniper blue, vivid green inspired by myrtle, verdant agave, to camellia white, cornflower blue, blackberry black, and gentle allspice and oat shades.
The airy serenity of the tiles make them ideal for use across contexts and ambiences: bringing a keen sense of cultivated calm to contemporary kitchens, bathrooms and convivial commercial uses such as coffee shops. It juxtaposes gracefully with modish soaped woods and light aggregates.
Longarine Calcecreta, meanwhile, is directly inspired by the rustic allure of lime paint, further embracing imperfection with subtly unrectified edges and a intentional variation in surface textures from tile to tile. The palette is slightly more subdued and geological than that of Brio: from the muted greys and greiges of Baia and Agrilla; the dusty green Selva; an archetypal Terracotta; Bisque's cosmopolitan, sandy lightness; and Ombra, inspired by black gravel. (Not to mention Manto, a chic, rougher-hued variation with a grit-flecked surface, applied as lacquer was once deployed on raw material.)
As with Longarine Brio, the range's potential is multitudinous. The invariably cool, meditative aura of the longarines make them perfect for both small-scale domestic areas and more expansive, multi-use contexts (airy retail or hospitality spaces, say); and the simultaneously distinct and complementary appeal of the Calcecreta's different iterations mean they can be simultaneously integrated across floors, walls and surfaces in aesthetic harmony.
Together, these collections demonstrate Marca Corona's aptitude for blending traditional craft and timelessly tranquil aesthetics and true versatility. Notably, the brand also strives to reduce its environmental footprint, bolstered by the projected opening of a self-sufficient logistics hub this year. The world of ceramic tiling is culturally fertile and historically rich – Marca Corona can proudly claim to represent the best of both past traditions and future innovation.
To learn more about these and other artistic tiles, visit the Marca Corona website.
