Tiles, Brancaccio Chapel

As early as the fifteenth century and even more so in the midst of the Renaissance, maiolicaand richly decorated coverings were used, especially in flooring. In the Neapolitan area, local craftsmen were inspired by Iberian examples both in their decorative repertoire and in the compositional scheme of four elongated hexagons with a central square. This arrangement was adopted in the floor of the Brancaccio Chapel in Sant’Angelo a Nilo, while the decoration is characterized by a Gothic repertoire with heraldic shield, phytomorphic motifs and male and female profiles.