Iznik pottery tile, Ottoman Turkey, c. 1650
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1650
This pottery tile is a surviving example of Iznik ceramic production from the Ottoman period, dating to circa 1650. The piece is of an irregular square form, measuring 25.1cm by 28cm.
It is decorated on a white ground with a distinctive palette of cobalt blue and turquoise. The central design features a star-shaped motif and a stylized palmette, from which emerge symmetrical and meandering vines. These vines are adorned with spotted flowerheads, smaller floral elements, and larger palmettes, flanked by double leaves. The tile has been cut down on one side. The verso shows traces of red seal wax and remnants of old note paper, and it is accompanied by an original handwritten note.
Stylistically, the tile is representative of the later years of the Iznik industry, following the decline of major imperial commissions such as the Sultanahmet Mosque, which necessitated a shift toward export and specialized replacement projects.
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
- Shape
- irregular square
- Material
- pottery
- Dimensions
- 25.1cm x 28cm
Design
- Motifs
- central star-shaped and stylised palmette, meandering vines, spotted flowerheads, double leaves
- Decoration
- cobalt blue and turquoise on white ground
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.