Square Tile Depicting Clouds 17th century This square tile would have been originally part of a larger decorative scheme, and has been created using the cuerda seca decorative technique. Literally "dry cord" this process involved applying a wax border between colored glazes in order to prevent them from mixing during the firing process. Cuerda seca replaced mosaics as a more cost effective and faster polychrome technique. During the Safavid period, design motifs with dense clusters of flowers such as chrysanthemums or Chinoiserie lotuses on winding scrolls with feathery leaves were common designs. This one is executed in a particularly vibrant color scheme.. Square Tile Depicting Clouds. 17th century. Stonepaste; polychrome glaze within black wax resist outlines (cuerda seca technique). Attributed to Iran. Ceramics-Tiles