In the seventeenth century, there was a high demand for decorated tiles. These adorned fireplaces, kitchens, and sometimes skirting boards. Throughout the Netherlands, potteries produced these tiles in large quantities. The color palette of the polychrome tiles is derived from sixteenth-century majolica tiles. The first tile from the Witte Zwaan collection (079a) features a multicolored design with a tulip in the center. The image is likely derived from examples in tulip books published from around 1635 onward. The corners of the tile feature a decorative motif in the shape of a French lily.