Rare Pair of Early 19th C Portuguese Hand-Painted Azulejo Panels - Bakery scenes

Rare Pair of Portuguese Hand-Painted Azulejo Panels, Early 19th Century
A very rare pair of early 19th-century Portuguese azulejo panels, each hand-painted in cobalt blue on glazed terracotta tiles and later mounted in simple wooden frames. Together, the panels depict rustic bakery scenes: one showing a young man vigorously kneading dough, the other a woman arranging freshly baked loaves in a large basket. The lively figural compositions unfold across multiple tiles, exemplifying the narrative and decorative character of Portuguese azulejo art.
Panels of this type were often commissioned for bakeries, taverns, or civic spaces, serving both decorative and didactic purposes by celebrating everyday labor. Rooted in Iberian traditions that fused Moorish geometric legacies with Renaissance and Baroque figural styles, these panels reveal fine draughtsmanship, expressive characterization, and the distinctive provincial charm of 19th-century Portuguese atelier production. Complete figural panels of this nature are exceptionally rare survivals, as many were dismantled or destroyed over time.
Dimensions (each): 38" W × 25" H × 2" D