Fontaine marocaine avec zellige : Moresque

www.moresque.com

Welcome to Arabesque, Inc.

Owned and operated by the Naji family for the past 50 years, Arabesque/Moresque is an international firm with offices in the United States and Morocco. The Naji family and its artisans are committed to preserving, protecting, and promoting the Moroccan-Andalusian architectural heritage. The Naji family itself has practiced the art of creating Moroccan styles of interiors and furnishings for more than 750 years. Their talent, authenticity, creativity, and superior workmanship are recognized worldwide.

While the artisans specialize in carved plaster, wood, and brass, painted wood, and Moroccan hand-cut tiles (Zellij), they can use these mediums to create a wide variety of products; tables, lamps, sofas, fountains, in addition to more traditional applications like floorings, ceilings, walls, and columns. Together with dedicated designers, they create high quality products to fit your project's needs, ranging anywhere from traditional to contemporary.

Vision
To become the world leader in Islamic architectural design, decoration, ornamental installation and Moroccan-Andalusian furniture production.

Mission
To preserve, protect, and promote Islamic architectural heritage by providing Moorish decoration services, all over the world, that reflect the beauty of Moresque's artistic work.

Core Values
1. Incorporating talent, experience, research, design, planning, and craftsmanship to produce unique masterpieces of the highest quality.
2. Designing new buildings and projects based on the continuity of the tradition of Moroccan-Andalusian decoration.
3. Building loyalty between Arabesque/Moresque and its clients.
Zellij:
Zellij, or mosaic tile, has a long history in Morocco and, specifically, in the cities of Fez and Meknes. Zellij first appeared in Morocco during the 10th century. However, during the Merinid Dynasty in the 13th-15th centuries, the use of Zellij became more widespread. Because of the labor and cost associated with Zellij, only the rich could afford to decorate their homes with it and it was a mark of wealth and sophistication. Zellij was also widely used in mosques and palaces. In its most popular forms, Zellij can be found in fountains, on ceilings, floors, and columns.
To begin making Zellij, special clay from Fez is mixed with water. Then, it is kneaded, with both hands and feet, until the clay becomes flexible and homogeneous. It is cut into 10cm squares with a thickness of 1cm. The tiles are sun-dried and then baked in a special oven. They are enameled and then baked for a second time, at 800°C, in a special oven fueled by olive pits. This is integral to and distinctive of our manufacturing process. In the oven, the tiles are placed according to color; white on the bottom, then blue, yellow, and green tiles on top. Differences in heat result in the differences in color, including variations within the same color group.
Once the tiles are removed from the oven, they are separated according to color. Then a Rasham (drawer) draws the shapes being used directly on the tile. The patterns are tessellated to ensure maximum efficiency. Then the tiles are sent to a Naqqash (cutter) who uses a wide hammer, carefully sharpened at each end, to cut the tiles. Finally, a Khallas (finisher) cuts the edges to make sure they meet the requirements for the project.
Once the Zellij pieces are collected, a Maallem (master craftsman) draws the design layout on the floor. This shows the exact place for each piece of Zellij. Each tile is placed face down and any additional adjustment is made to ensure a snug fit. In addition to geometric patterns, Zellij can also be used to make floral designs or for calligraphy. From the production of the tiles, to the making of the Zellij, everything is done in our workshops, and then installed at the project site.
Products:
Zellij:
Using Zellij (Moroccan hand-cut tiles), our artisans can create a variety of products. Traditionally Zellij was used for floors, columns, fountains, and walls; especially throughout the courtyards of palaces and riads. However, it can be used on stairs, as the top surfaces of tables, and borders as well. Our artists can create a wide range of designs, varying in intricacy, to fit the look of your project and your budget. We offer a number of different colors to match your décor and any design can be modified to fit a specific color scheme. In addition to mosaic tile (Zellij), Arabesque also provides painted Andalusian tiles.