A large Iznik polychrome pottery tile panel comprising four square tiles, each painted with relief red, shades of cobalt-blue, turquoise, green and black outline, the symmetrical design of a central fantastic floral motif composed of lotus flowers each enclosing a pomegranate and floral stems, flanked by half sections of the same motifs and linked by two pairs of sax leaves incorporating further floral elements

Tiles of this design decorate the Has Oda (privy chamber) of Murad III (1574-95) in the Harem of the Topkapi Saray (see Rogers 1988, no. 67 and Oz, Pl XLIX and L). A panel composed of nine of these tiles was sold through these rooms, 12th October 1981, part lot 216, and is now in the Tareq Rajab Museum, Kuwait (Fehérvári 2000, p.314, no.377).

Another two are in the Khalili collection (also part of the above lot sold through these rooms and published Rogers 1995, p.134, no.122) and a half tile of this design is in the Sadberk Hand Museum (Altun 1991, p.42 I.66).

Turkey
circa 1574 A.D

Each tile 30.5 cm

Provenance
Private Belgian Collection
Sotheby’s 12 Oct 2000