Iznik pottery hexagonal tile from the Çinili Hamam, Ottoman Turkey, c. 1540
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1540
The tile features intricate underglaze decoration against a deep dark blue background. The primary design element is an asymmetrical prunus tree in blossom, which sprouts from a base composed of fleshy saz leaves.
Additional botanical elements include saz-style stems, one bearing a large rosette with buds and leaves, and another culminating in a distinctive three-petalled tulip. The tulip is detailed with dark blue dots and turquoise teardrop shapes. A Chinese-inspired cloud motif is positioned at the top right of the field. The border is rendered in turquoise and features a repeating pattern of rosettes of two different sizes.
The tile has a maximum diameter of 28.3 cm. Provenance of this piece is linked to the Çinili Hamam and includes a history of ownership by distinguished Belgian figures, such as Baron Leon van der Elst and Count Frederick van der Steen de Jehay.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Form
- hexagonal
- Diameter
- 28.3 cm
- Material
- Iznik pottery
Technical characteristics
- Decoration technique
- underglaze
Design
- Colors
- white, dark blue, turquoise
- Motifs
- prunus tree, saz leaves, tulip, rosette, Chinese-inspired cloud
Identification
- Source note
- Described from a single auction-house listing published on Invaluable (reproduced with Invaluable's permission). Details apply to that one example; other examples of the type may differ, and the listing is supplementary evidence, not authentication.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.