Miniature works of art

In this age of great slabs of granite and marble, consider the humble ceramic tile. This decorative material has graced structures from grand castles to humble huts for ages. Edited by Gordon Lang, a Sotheby’s ceramics expert, “1000 Tiles” uses expert authors to chronicle the last 1,000 years of tile’s stylistic evolution, including medieval, Victorian, Art Nouveau and Islamic examples.

Arranged by period and style, the book is rich with 1,000 color images of individual tiles and tiled structures. Each tile is accompanied by a profile describing its origin, history, symbolism and decorative motifs, as well as information on how it was made.

The exquisite little works of painting and sculpture, elaborate mosaics and decorative panels are sure to inspire artists and home decorators. In the end, the modest tile makes gleaming marble counters look kind of shabby.

- Samantha Bonar