Štefan Mlích
It would be a shame not to include, in this issue of our journal, the production of ceramic tiles and tiled stoves. Tile making in Slovakia occurred during the Gothic period, when it found widespread use. It was at its best in the 15th century. The masters of that period created a great number of beautiful and artistically valuable embossed objects. In the beginnings, stove tiles had no glazing, being produced in a fashion of courser pottery vessels. Little by little, however, their producers started to decorate their surfaces with embossed patterns and glaze them as well – at first with one colour only, later on with more colours. It was not only visually more striking, but also easier as far as maintenance and cleaning is concerned. Since the end of the 20th century, more and more people have been using tiled stoves to heat their homes. Moreover, it was also the discussions about effective heating of buildings and fuel savings that contributed to the revival and growth of this craft. To achieve an eye-pleasing stove and, at the same time, optimal heating parameters, two professions, two specialists need to co-operate – a tile maker who produces tiles to cover stoves, and a stove maker, whose task is to build the stove and make sure the draught and heat accumulation will be sufficient.