Tijou
Over 330 Years Of Craftsmanship
Tijou History
“Since 1687, the name Tijou has been synonymous with masterful European craftsmanship and ornamental iron artistry. Known for intricate scrollwork, architectural grandeur, and enduring design, Tijou’s work defined an era of excellence in decorative metal. Rooted in classical proportion and artistic precision, the legacy of Tijou represents a standard of beauty and strength that has endured for centuries.”
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Wood Fences
Aluminum Fences
Steel Fences
Vinyl Fences
Composite Fences
Hand-Forged Ironwork
Wood Fences
Aluminum Fences
Steel Fences
Vinyl Fences
Composite Fences
Hand-Forged Ironwork
Seen on Screen
Tjou’s elegant metalwork has graced countless films and print media, capturing the timeless beauty and historical significance of our craftsmanship.
Jean Tijou 1693 “A New Book of Drawings”
In 1693, Jean Tijou published A New Book of Drawings, a landmark collection of engraved designs that transformed the art of ornamental ironwork in England. The volume presented gates,balustrades, panels, and elaborate scroll compositions executed with a fluidity and architectural precision unseen before. Tijou fused French Baroque refinement with bold structural clarity, introducing a style defined by dynamic movement, deeply layered foliage, sculptural masks, and heraldic symmetry. Through this publication, he established a new visual language for wrought iron-one that would influence craftsmen for generations and come to define the high Baroque manner in English metalwork.
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About Jean Tijou
The Founder’s Journey: Jean Tijou
Our story begins with a master craftsman who refused to let adversity extinguish his art. Born around 1650 in the artistic hub of St Germain-en-Laye, Paris, Jean Tijou was a visionary whose medium was iron and whose canvas was the skyline of Europe. However, the path to establishing our legacy was not a straight line; it was forged in the fires of the Huguenot exodus. Following the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, Tijou was forced to flee his homeland, carrying his unique mastery of repoussé—the art of hammering iron into three-dimensional sculptural forms—first to the Netherlands.
Establishing the Tradition (1687)
While history often associates Tijou’s rise with the royal court of 1689, the true genesis of our English enterprise dates to 1687. It was in this year, amidst the reconstruction of Chatsworth House, that Tijou’s hammers first rang out on English soil, creating the exquisite stair balustrades for the Duke of Devonshire. This early commission marked the foundation of a business built on a simple premise: bringing the fluid, ornamental sophistication of the Continental Baroque to a market that had only ever known utility.
The Golden Age of Patronage
The reputation of our founder grew rapidly with the accession of William III and Mary II. From his bustling workshop on Portugal Row in Piccadilly—a site that became the epicenter of London’s decorative arts—Tijou oversaw the creation of the era’s most iconic works. His masterpiece, the twelve monumental screens for the Privy Garden at Hampton Court Palace, remains a testament to the scale of his operation and the unparalleled quality he demanded from his team. These works were not merely fences; they were intricate tapestries of iron that defined the aesthetic of the British monarchy.
A Legacy in Print
Tijou was not content with merely serving patrons; he sought to elevate the entire industry. In 1693, he published A New Book of Drawings, the first pattern book for ironwork ever released in England. This publication was more than a catalogue; it was a manifesto for “working Iron in Perfection and with Art,” setting a standard that we continue to uphold today. The spirit of innovation he brought to Piccadilly, and the commitment to artistic excellence he codified in his writings, remain the heartbeat of our work to this day.
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HAND-FORGED IRONWORK
Forged. Not Assembled.
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