hard to find 19th century original victorian era "renaissance" pattern low portrait tiles featuring a deeply embossed costumed greek or roman soldiers. the majolica glazed interior residential fireplace tiles were designed and fabricated by the j. & j.g. low art tile company, chelsea, mass.  the brick and.or mortar has been carefully removed from the backside of the tiles. the j. & j.g. low art tile company (chelsea, mass.) was founded by john gardner low, an artist who had trained in paris, but was a native of massachusetts. he started his ceramic work in the chelsea keramic art works but soon founded his own business in partnership with his father, john low. the company was known thereafter as the j. & j.g. low art tile company. it was one of a handful of companies, including the chelsea keramic art works, to advance the development of decorative tiles in the united states during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. low art tile works specialized in high relief decorative art tiles for fireplaces, walls, cast-iron stoves, and soda fountains, establishing a prominent reputation for innovation in design. the company reached prominence in the 1880's, when it garnered several prestigious awards in the u.s. and europe. also during this period, the company’s name changed, after j. f. low, son of john gardner low, replaced his retired grandfather. of the artists and designers who worked for low art tile works, some went on to establish successful companies. in 1890, george w. robertson, a chemist and glaze expert for low, established robertson art tile in morrisville, pennsylvania. william h. grueby, who apprenticed with the company for ten years, founded in 1894 grueby pottery, which was known for its matte green glaze called “grueby green.” during its inception, the company included the talents of george robertson, one of the family members of the chelsea keramic art works. most low tiles are marked on the back with date and copyright as well as with the title of the image. one of the more notable artists working at the low tile comany was arthur osborne - a designer and low relief sculptor active there during the last quarter of the nineteenth century. he emigrated to the u.s. from england to become low’s chief modeler. tiles containing his designs often contain his "signature" in the form of his initials on the front or backside of the tile. he departed america in 1898, leaving the low company in order to start his own business in faversham, england. osborne there produced plaques called “ivorex” for many years before he died in 1942. priced for the pair.