Ceramic decoration of the main patio of the Santo Domingo Convent in Lima, Peru.
Technological analysis of tiles
Jacek Martusewicz, Henryk Stoksik
Abstract
The extensive conservation research carried out at the Santo Domingo Convent in Lima (Peru) on the 17th century ceramic decoration of the main patio has become a unique opportunity to analyze the original production technology of the tiles. Based on historical information and stylistic features, two groups of tiles were distinguished: made in Spanish workshops in Seville and locally in Lima. For the investigation, analytical methods such as X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS) were used. The results obtained allowed not only to define the production technology of both ceramic centers, but also to indicate its influence on the final artistic expression of the decoration. The conclusions drawn from these studies may be useful for analyzing the provenance of other seventeenth-century decorations made with tiles preserved in Lima and other cities in present-day Peru. They also show the distinctive features of the production of the ceramic workshops of Hernando de Valladares in Seville and Juan del Corral in Lima.
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