I knew before I even stepped foot on the ground in Lisbon that there was one thing that was going to dominate the photos that I returned home with: the tiles. The draw of the Portuguese azulejos was strong. There is something about a facade covered in elaborate tile that appeals to me, despite my personal design preference for a more minimalist look.
So as we walked through town, it was no surprise that I constantly lagged behind my husband and daughter, trying to capture every last tile that we came across. (This is a theme in our travels - I'm always trying to catch up!)
And as much as I love capturing a grand facade or the perfect doortrait, I found myself zooming in on all the details. How can you not? Because while the big picture is a gorgeous one, the story of these tiles and facades is certainly in the details. In the color. In the pattern. In the design influence. Is it Moorish? Italian? Dutch? Is it derived from a Renaissance, Baroque, or Art Nouveau style? And the story is certainly in the wear and tear. In the discoloration. What history have these walls been witness to?
So here are the fragments - the details - that caught my eye.
I have taken to becoming a matchmaker with these fragments, trying to find each one's perfect pair - its design complement that more than likely resides across town, in a different neighborhood, on a different hill.
Some seem to go together naturally, while others seem to stand on their own quite well.
I imagine I'll always be playing around with these images - arranging and rearranging them, finding similarities that I once overlooked. They are like my own little tiles, little fragments of facades that captured my attention and formed my lasting impression of Lisbon.