Handprinted Endpapers - Lisbon Inspired

Lino cut design printed in a Prussia blue water based ink

I'd longed to visit Lisbon for years, I'd heard about the cobbled alleyways, white dome cathedrals and the azulejos, which are beautiful painted tin-glazed ceramic tilework found on the interior and exterior of churches, houses, schools and nowadays restaurants and bars. Tiles are everywhere, lining many streets and walls. Lisbon is a city where you are often looking down as much as up.

In our household growing up my parents enjoyed collecting antique decorative tiles and later my mother hand painted a series herself. She often marvelled at designs of European tiles and I finally got the opportunity to go the 'tile capital' with my friend who knew the city well. We spent hours exploring the city by foot, admiring patterns new and old and, of course, finding time to enjoy Pastel de nata, the delicious Portuguese egg tart pastry.

This tile design was chosen as inspiration for some end papers for a future project soon to be disclosed.

Be inspired, check out:

* Lisbon's Tile Museum: www.museudoazulejo.gov.pt/

* Sant'Anna: This azulejo manufacturer is the oldest in Lisbon: www.santanna.com.pt/en

* Enjoy azulejos and a Pastel de nata here at this historical cafe: pasteisdebelem.pt/