彩繪瓷版(Majolica tiles或稱爲polychrome tiles)在世界舞台上的演出開始於西元九世紀的美索不達米亞平原,亦即中東地區的兩河流域一帶,之後通過經濟與宗教的上交流,藉由不同的文化詮釋,則代表了不同的裝飾意涵。二十世紀初期,彩繪瓷版被輸入了南洋一帶,由於南洋特殊的地理位置,與受到中國早期的移民影響下,南洋地區建築上的彩繪瓷版,融合了多元的歐、亞文化,並成爲中國東南沿海地區華人住屋裝飾文化的延伸,因此造就了一種不同於傳統的、新的、獨特的建築裝飾語言,此正是南洋建築物上的中式裝飾語言最珍貴,且無法取代之處。 新加坡正位居南洋經貿輸運之獨特樞紐位置,其建築養分兼容並蓄,且融會中、印、馬來、伊斯蘭等多元文化,結合了殖民文化與西方洋樓式建築。新加坡重視社會中的群體合諧與社會秩序,此一獨特的社會文化體現在彩繪瓷版的貼覆風格上,則形成另一種不同於其他任何地方的裝飾特色。藉由彩繪瓷版的貼覆,他們又重新詮釋了建築的裝飾語言,展演出一種新的建築裝飾的文化血統。 本研究之論述重點將以新加坡爲例,藉由筆者親赴新加坡進行田野調查所蒐集的資料,以探討彩繪瓷版輸入南洋後,在南洋地區的新加坡之運用施作方式與其中所蘊含的美學型態與文化內涵。
Majolica tiles (or so called polychrome tiles) have originated from Mesopotamian plain from nine century. The applications, through the exchanges of economy and religions, stand for different decorative meanings by diverse cultural interpretations. In the early years of 20th century, those polychrome tiles were imported to south-east Asia which compromised the merits of Chinese, south-east Asia, Islam and Western architectural styles and recreated a brand-new design of architectural decoration. Singapore is situated the key position of economic and national trade of south-east Asia. The architectural concept of Singapore merged together the divergent cultures of Indonesia, Malaysia, Islam and Chinese and presented a unique feature of architectural decoration which has never been created in any other places before. The primary emphasis of this research will base on the cases of Singapore. Through the materials collected by the author who went to Singapore in person to carry on the field investigation, we will approach the aesthetic values and cultural transmutation of the applications of polychrome tiles in Singapore.