Turkish 17th century Iznik dish

This large dish was produced in Iznik, located south of Istanbul in modern-day Turkey, during the latter half of the 17^th Century. The dish is a superb example of what is known as ‘Iznik pottery’ or ‘Iznik ware’. This pottery type is defined by the floral and arabesque patterns produced using underglaze cobalt blue paint, the blue-and-white dynamic of which being directly influenced by contemporary trends in Chinese porcelain production. The pottery type was patronised by the recently founded Ottoman court in Istanbul, contributing to its popularity then and its continuing popularity today.

This dish features beautiful foliate forms, such as leaves and flower buds, hand drawn in a painterly manner and then overglazed with transparent glazes. The ground of the dish is a pale turquoise blue-green, while the painted leaves are infilled with tones of blue, green, and red-brown pigment.