Description:

AN IZNIK POTTERY DISH, OTTOMAN TURKEY, CIRCA 1590
Iznik, Ottoman Empire, late 16th century

Description:
A finely potted dish with sloping rim and short foot, painted in underglaze cobalt blue, emerald green, and bole red on a white fritware body. The central field features a dynamic floral spray of tulips, carnations, and hyacinths radiating from a leafy base, a classic composition of the late Iznik repertoire. The cavetto is framed by a stylized wave-and-rock border, and the underside bears simple blue scrollwork around the footring.

This example reflects the mature phase of Iznik production in the 1590s, when the introduction of bole red and increased palette complexity brought new richness to Ottoman ceramic art. The intense saturation and clarity of the glazes, particularly the coral-toned red, indicate a high-quality kiln output.

Diameter: 29cm

Provenance:
From a single-owner collection (Lots 100–109)

Comparable examples:

  • A similar Iznik dish with tulip and hyacinth composition, circa 1590, sold at Christie’s, London, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, 28 October 2021, Lot 50, for £106,250.

  • An Iznik polychrome dish with wave-and-rock border, dated circa 1585–90, sold at Bonhams, London, Islamic and Indian Art, 23 October 2018, Lot 104, for £87,500.

  • A closely related dish featuring floral spray and red bole, circa 1590, sold at Sotheby’s, London, Arts of the Islamic World, 1 May 2019, Lot 137, for £93,750.

Note:
By the 1590s, Iznik ceramics had reached a level of both technical and artistic sophistication that made them sought after across the Ottoman Empire and Europe. Dishes of this type—celebrated for their elegance, precision, and vibrant colour schemes—were used both functionally and decoratively, often gracing the tables and cabinets of Ottoman elites and foreign dignitaries alike.

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May 6, 2025 1:00 PM BST
London, United Kingdom

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