Delft Shepherd
This Delft tile showing a shepherd and his sheep dates from about 1675.
Delft tiles of this sort originated in Holland in the 1600's and often depicted people going about their everyday tasks.
This tile from about 1725 shows what our shepherd's farm house might have looked like.
The tiles also often showed landscapes and cityscapes. For some examples of various motifs, look here.
The tiles were used in large groupings rather than individually. You can get an idea of what the interior of our shepherd's home might have looked like from this postcard from the 1930's.
I love Delftware. We visited Holland when I was a kid and it was amazing. Thanks for bringing back the memories!
Posted by:Kathie | June 26, 2007 at 01:52 AM
Those are some gorgeous tiles! I've never seen them grouped together on a wall like that. Those cured meats hanging in the back look pretty yummy too!
Posted by:Sophia | June 25, 2007 at 04:10 PM
Cool looking wheel. So where were you Saturday?!
Posted by:Manise | June 25, 2007 at 01:17 PM
The thing on her head is most likely a cap. Based on the hanging gas lamp, I'm assuming no electricity, so that meant light, heat, and cooking were all done with coal, wood, kerosene, etc. so the tidy homemakers wore caps to keeps the soot from all that out o ftheir hair. After all, it took forever to heat the water on the wood stove, so you might get a bath once/week.
Also--"Connecticut" type wheels--They just have extra gears to spin faster. Just like a high-speed flyer now.
Posted by:Cathy | June 22, 2007 at 09:35 AM
Just had to mention, this is how tired I've become: I read your caption to the first image as "...shepherd and his sheep dates" What?! "sheep dates?" Is this some lonely shepherd story? Oh....let's read that again. (heh)
Posted by:Marta | June 21, 2007 at 08:25 PM
Interesting wheel! I've never seen one like that before, with the spoked part proportioned like that.
Can I make a special request? :-) I don't understand the point of the "Connecticut"-type wheels, with multiple drive wheels mounted on them. They look like freaky mutant wheels to me. Care to expostulate on them? :-)
Posted by:Beth S. | June 21, 2007 at 04:20 PM
What's on her head?
Posted by:Carole | June 21, 2007 at 04:06 PM
It's a 1930's action shot - she's actually spinning!
Posted by:Sharon | June 21, 2007 at 02:39 PM
You have the most incredible blog! I love to read your entries! Where do you find these things!
Posted by:Kate/Massachusetts | June 21, 2007 at 01:04 PM
Beautiful Delft! And are those hams hanging from the spinner's ceiling? Something edible, anyway, I suspect.
Posted by:Lucia | June 21, 2007 at 11:51 AM