Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Ashmolean − Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Islamic Ceramics

A select catalogue of the Ashmolean's collection of ceramics from the Islamic world from the 9th to 18th century, by James Allen (published Oxford, 1991).

Islamic ceramics, by James W. Allan

Publications online: 46 objects

Reference URL

Actions

Send e-mail

Contact us about this object

Send e-mail

Send to a friend

Dish with flower sprays and coat of arms

  • Literature notes

    Although the colours and designs of Iznik pottery have held a special attraction for the European eye for the last century and a half, documented evidence of their interest in the sixteenth century is surprisingly scanty. The only literary evidence seems to be a suggestion by the Habsburg Ambassador in Istanbul in 1577 that the Bishop of Salzburg might wish to order some Iznik tiles, but no such order is known to have been placed. All the more important, therefore, is the set of dishes emblazoned with a European coat-of arms. Of this set, ten pieces are known to survive, and two are in the Ashmolean [EAX.3268 & WA1888.CDEF.C324].

    Whose coat-of-arms it actually is, is not absolutely certain. The most likely candidate, however, seems to be a member of the Spingarolli de Dessa family of Dalmatia (northern Yugoslavia), whose blazon fits that on the Iznik dishes most precisely. The Dalmatian city of Ragusa (modern Dubrovnik) had a flourishing trade with the Levant in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, and an order for Iznik dishes from one of its merchants would be perfectly appropriate.

    In the twentieth century, components of a dinner service are expected to be in an identical pattern. It is interesting to see that the Iznik dishes, though they are all decorated with a spray of flowers, bear different floral arrangements. For example, whereas in these two examples the blazon is set against the central flower stems, on some pieces it is framed by them, making a quite different visual impact.

    [Bibliographic references:]
    N. Atasoy and J. Raby, Iznik. The Pottery of Ottoman Turkey (London 1989) p.264-6.
  • Details

    Associated place
    Asia Turkey (place of creation)
    AsiaTurkeyMarmara Bölgesi (Marmara) Region Iznik (probable place of creation)
    Date
    c. 1570
    Ottoman Period (1281 - 1924)
    Material and technique
    fritware, with polychrome underglaze painting
    Dimensions
    2.6 cm (height)
    19.9 cm (diameter)
    Material index
    Technique index
    coveredcoated glazed,
    Object type index
    No. of items
    1
    Credit line
    Presented by C. D. E. Fortnum, 1888.
    Accession no.
    EAX.3268
  • Further reading

    Allan, James W., Islamic Ceramics, Ashmolean-Christie's Handbooks (Oxford: Ashmolean Museum, 1991), no. 46 on p. 72, illus. p. 73

    Atasoy, Nurhan, and Julian Raby, Iznik: The Pottery of Ottoman Turkey, ed. Yanni Petsopoulos (London: Alexandria Press in association with Laurence King, 1994), no. 736, p. 264, fig. 736

    London: Royal Academy of Arts, 22 January-12 April 2005, Turks: A Journey of a Thousand Years, 600 - 1600, David J. Roxburgh, ed. (London: Royal Academy of Arts, 2005), no. 331 on pp. 460-461, illus. p. 351 no. 331

Glossary (2)

fritware, underglaze painting

  • fritware

    Ceramic material composed of ground quartz and small quantities of clay and finely ground frit (frit is obtained by pouring molten glass into water).

  • underglaze painting

    Painting applied to ceramic material before a transparent, or monochrome or coloured glaze for Islamic objects, is applied. The technique was initially developed in China.

Location

    • First floor | Room 31 | Islamic Middle East

Objects are sometimes moved to a different location. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis. Contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular object on display, or would like to arrange an appointment to see an object in our reserve collections.

 

Publications online

  • Islamic ceramics, by James W. Allan

    Islamic Ceramics

    Although the colours and designs of Iznik pottery have held a special attraction for the European eye for the last century and a half, documented evidence of their interest in the sixteenth century is surprisingly scanty. The only literary evidence seems to be a suggestion by the Habsburg Ambassador in Istanbul in 1577 that the Bishop of Salzburg might wish to order some Iznik tiles, but no such order is known to have been placed. All the more important, therefore, is the set of dishes emblazoned with a European coat-of arms. Of this set, ten pieces are known to survive, and two are in the Ashmolean [EAX.3268 & WA1888.CDEF.C324].

    Whose coat-of-arms it actually is, is not absolutely certain. The most likely candidate, however, seems to be a member of the Spingarolli de Dessa family of Dalmatia (northern Yugoslavia), whose blazon fits that on the Iznik dishes most precisely. The Dalmatian city of Ragusa (modern Dubrovnik) had a flourishing trade with the Levant in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, and an order for Iznik dishes from one of its merchants would be perfectly appropriate.

    In the twentieth century, components of a dinner service are expected to be in an identical pattern. It is interesting to see that the Iznik dishes, though they are all decorated with a spray of flowers, bear different floral arrangements. For example, whereas in these two examples the blazon is set against the central flower stems, on some pieces it is framed by them, making a quite different visual impact.

    [Bibliographic references:]
    N. Atasoy and J. Raby, Iznik. The Pottery of Ottoman Turkey (London 1989) p.264-6.
Notice

Object information may not accurately reflect the actual contents of the original publication, since our online objects contain current information held in our collections database. Click on 'buy this publication' to purchase printed versions of our online publications, where available, or contact the Jameel Study Centre to arrange access to books on our collections that are now out of print.

© 2013 University of Oxford - Ashmolean Museum