The Nolla mosaic, produced in the Miguel Nolla factory in Meliana (Valencia) between 1860 and 1920, is a decorative pavement that is as unique as it is iconic. Today, designers and architects are trying to recover it and claim the artistic value of these beautiful pieces, even though it was forgotten for decades.
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In deep
When we visited the home for the first time, if something captivated us were its floors, and despite the fact that in most of the house they were perfectly preserved in spite of the time that passed (the house is from 1922), we were clear that in those parts where the floor was deteriorated, we were going to recover it. Alfonso Braquehais, the architect who is in charge of the reform, did not hesitate either, and having Genaysa as the construction company has been a success, since they have previously carried out the recovery of the Nolla Mosaic in other homes on this wonderful protected historical building where the house is located “Las Casas de Félix Sáenz” on the Paseo de Reding in Malaga, and which we have talked about in detail in a previous post.
The Nolla mosaic is a type of pavement that is highly appreciated but at the same time a little unknown. It is confused with hydraulic flooring, but the differences are notable. One of the characteristics of Nolla ceramic is that its surface is matt, which means that it does not reflect and that the mosaic pattern is always perfectly perceived. The surface of the hydraulics becomes polished with wear and it ends up shining more.
The factory occupies a building built around an old farmhouse that the businessman Miguel Nolla used to display his products. For its mosaics, Nolla was inspired by Minton, a well-known English brand that worked with industrially produced ceramics, as well as colored geometric pieces to compose mosaics. Miguel Molla improved the quality of the material and hired a creative team to carry out the designs. Its manufacturing and installation was very laborious, and many hours of work were needed to be carried out by highly specialized technicians known as "the mosaicists" who were in charge of its meticulous placement. One square meter of Mosaico Nolla could include about 600 pieces.
Nolla dreamed of giving floors the same importance as ceilings or paintings, and that they were considered works of art. This made mosaics an expensive product and only the high society of the time could afford it. Having Nolla mosaics was a symbol of distinction for homeowners. The smaller the piece and the more elaborate the geometric composition, the more prestige the house had. The passage of time has turned its ceramic rugs into historical jewels. The factory had 500 workers and was in operation until 1920, when it changed hands and specialized in other products.
The Nolla pieces have a company stamp on the back, a date and a product code that allows them to be identified. To corroborate its authenticity, Xavier Laumain created in 2015 together with other specialists the Centro de la Cerámica Nolla (CIDCeN), where he also provides advice on how to care for and recover the pieces.
In Valencia there are numerous possibilities to discover the qualities of Mosaico Nolla. The Town Hall, the Main Theater, the Post Office building, the Exhibition Palace, the Central Market and numerous facades of houses in the Cabanyal neighborhood display this ceramic jewel.
In Barcelona, Antonio Gaudí surrendered to the delicacy of these pieces, which can be seen in the Casa Batlló. Also in the Casa Burés in the capital of Barcelona, in the Palacio de la Magdalena de Santander and in the chapel of San Francisco in the Church of Santa Ana de Triana. In Madrid, the Palacio de Villagonzalo and the Palacio de Fernán Núñez display these ceramic compositions.
The Cathedral of Buenos Aires, houses in Paris and the Moscow metro are part of the Nolla universe, as are other spaces in Portugal, Uruguay, Chile, and Cuba.
Craftsmanship is the new luxury.
