shown on ceramic, 12-inch tileFrance

above Paris, on the hill of Montmartre

Sacré-Cœur

— — the white the rain keeps making whiter.

— Where it lives

Not only on a wall.

A small tile on the nightstand catching the morning. A larger one above the fire. Yours, wherever you spend the slow hours.

— On the nightstand, a 6-inch on a walnut stand

— Among the books, a 6-inch leaning into the spines

— Down a quiet hall, an 18-inch floating off the wall

— Above the fire, the 24-inch in a walnut surround

— a note from the studio

“The basilica that grew out of the limestone of Montmartre, white because the stone bleaches itself every time it rains. Below it the rooftops of Paris fall away in slate and zinc. Buskers on the front steps, a funicular grinding up the side, and the dome holding the highest view in the city without saying much about it.

from the studio

— bring it home

Sacré-Cœur, on ceramic.

Each tile is finished by hand in our Knoxville studio. Artwork is slowly infused into the ceramic surface under high heat and pressure, and rests beneath a thin glossy finish. The colour lives in the surface, not on top of it.

What kind of piece?

One tile — square or rectangle.

How big?

the popular one — counter, shelf, nightstand

6 × 6 in · 15 cm · 1.6 lb

Surface finish

A clear glossy finish — the artwork reads as if under resin. Ideal for show-pieces and framed wall art.

How it sits

A hidden cleat — sits ¼″ proud of the wall.

$58

Hand-finished and shipped from our studio at the foot of the Smokies. On your wall in about ten days.

— size

6 × 6 in

15 cm

— weighs

1.6 lb

solid in the hand

— surface

ceramic, hand-finished

art rests beneath a thin glossy finish

— from

Knoxville, TN

our family studio, at the foot of the Smokies

— start a Coaster Set

Pick any four 4-inch tiles — National Parks you've been to, a Smokies set, the four seasons of one place. $ for a set of , cork-backed, ready to live on the table.

— about Sacré-Cœur

The place, in three passes.

A little of what's known, in case you fall down the rabbit hole — or want to go see it yourself.

— the place

Sacré-Cœur sits on the summit of Montmartre, about 130 metres above the Seine, the highest natural point in Paris. The basilica was begun in 1875 to a Romano-Byzantine design by Paul Abadie and was consecrated in 1919, after construction continued under five architects. It is built from Château-Landon travertine quarried in Seine-et-Marne, southeast of the city. Entry to the nave is free; the climb to the dome is a separate ticket of about ten euros.

— informed by Wikipedia

— the stone

The travertine of Château-Landon is the quiet engineer of the building. Quarried about a hundred kilometres southeast of Paris in Seine-et-Marne, it carries calcite that washes to the surface with each rainfall and re-cements as a chalky bloom. Most Parisian limestone darkens with the soot of two centuries; this one brightens. Paul Abadie chose it deliberately after the same stone had proved itself on the Conciergerie. The walls have grown paler since the cornerstone was laid in 1875.

— informed by Wikipedia

— the visit

The basilica opens daily from 6:30 in the morning until 10:30 at night, with free entry to the nave; the dome and the crypt are ticketed separately at around ten euros for the climb. The Montmartre funicular from Place Saint-Pierre runs every few minutes on a standard Métro ticket. Photographers favour the first hour after sunrise, when the city below is still in shadow and the white façade catches the light from the east. Modest dress is asked of visitors in the sanctuary.

— informed by Official basilica site

— where

France · Paris, Île-de-France

— elevation

130 m · 427 ft

— position

48.8867° N · 2.3431° E

— the neighborhood

What's nearby.

A handful of named places within an hour's walk or short drive. Some we've already painted; some we will.

at the lake

Place du Tertre

square

1 km SW

Moulin Rouge

cabaret

1 km S

Pigalle

neighbourhood

1 km W

Montmartre Cemetery

cemetery

Sacré-Cœur

Place du Tertre

Moulin Rouge

Pigalle

Montmartre Cemetery

— common questions

What people ask.

A few questions we get about Sacré-Cœur — and about bringing the piece home.

— about the place

The travertine from Château-Landon contains calcite that washes to the surface with rainfall and dries as a chalky bloom. The stone whitens itself, the opposite of most Parisian limestone, which darkens with age.

Paul Abadie won the architectural competition in 1874 with a Romano-Byzantine design influenced by Saint-Front in Périgueux. Construction began in 1875 and continued under five successive architects until consecration in 1919.

The dome reaches about 83 metres above the church floor and 213 metres above sea level, making it the second-highest viewpoint in Paris after the Eiffel Tower.

The nave is free and open daily from 6:30 to 22:30. The dome climb and the crypt require separate tickets, currently around ten euros for the dome ascent.

The Montmartre funicular from Place Saint-Pierre runs on a standard Métro ticket and reaches the parvis in under two minutes. The stairs alongside it climb about 220 steps for those who prefer the walk.

— about the piece in your home

It travels well to people with Parisian ties, particularly those who lived in the 18th. The Small or Medium reads warmly on a hallway wall; the Coaster carries a handwritten studio note.

The white-and-rose palette of the basilica sits well in French apartment style, soft minimalism, and warm-neutral interiors. It also reads in Parisian eclectic mixes of antique frames and pale walls.

A single Large covers most consoles. A four-tile Mural reads above a standard sofa; a nine-tile Mural takes a full feature wall in a wider room.

Yes, in Dura Satin or Matte finish. Both are scratch-resistant and built for humid rooms. The Glossy finish is best kept to framed wall pieces away from direct steam.

A soft microfibre cloth and plain water are enough. The colour lives inside the ceramic surface beneath a thin glossy finish and does not fade with cleaning or with daylight over time.

Yes. Reid Wender curates and finishes every piece in the studio in Knoxville, Tennessee. The work is not licensed and is not available through any other maker or retailer.

— if this one stayed with you

A few you might also love.

Hand-picked by the eye that found Sorapis. Same air, same kind of quiet.