Museum Station Entrance Mosaic: A Slice of Sydney History

Museum station entrance mosaic. The Sydney City Circle first…
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Museum station entrance mosaic. The Sydney City Circle first ever underground station, Museum, opened on December 20, 1926. This panel was set in the entrance footpath and comprises encaustic glazed terracotta tile fragments embedded in a thin reinforced concrete base. A small section on the lower edge has a crude infill repair and there is a vertical crack through the last quarter. However all tiles are stable. A significant slice of Sydney history which has adorned the Leuralla entrance for many years. (6 x 2 feet x 1.25')

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  • Terracotta - Terracotta is lightly fired earthenware, red or reddish-brown in colour, used in ancient times. Fired at higher temperatures terracotta was used in the nineteenth century for decorative vases and similar objects, but rarely for utilitarian goods. Other uses for terracotta include roofing tiles, garden pots and ornaments. Glazed terracotta is known as faience.
  • Encaustic - Encaustic tiles have a long history, with some of the earliest examples dating back to the medieval period in Europe. They were popular for use in flooring and as decorative elements in fireplaces, fountains, and walls. The tiles are made using a manufacturing process that involves embedding different coloured clays into a single tile. The clay colours are arranged in intricate designs, and the tiles are then fired to fuse the colours together. The resulting tiles have a surface pattern that is visible even after the tile is glazed and sealed, giving them a distinctive, ornate appearance. Encaustic tiles are typically made by hand and are often used to create focal points in interior design, such as fireplace surrounds, entryways, or accent walls.