A Full Scale Roof Tile Drawing: Geometry as Art

late nineteenth, early twentieth century  
11" x 14 1/2", 28 cm x 37 cm

This is a hand made ink drawing which comes from the workshop of a roof tile maker in Ise, Japan.

The drawing is done in charcoal-based ink on paper, and the full-scale design is meant as a guide for making the elements which will comprise a traditional tiled roof. 

As might be able to be discerned by looking at the detail photos here, the paper is delicate and is well-creased.

Please note some smudges of grey clay on the paper--obviously this is the material used to make the roof tiles. 

As well note the holes in the paper: these are the result of this guide being drawn over and over in the service of creating a tile.

Just lovely--and its abstracted image as pulled out of context is curious and attractive.