Iznik ceramics were highly prized far beyond the Ottoman Empire, and although the factories had passed their peak by the late seventeenth century, their influence lived on through nineteenth-century European imitations by such potters as William de Morgan and Cantagalli.

AFTER MORE THAN TWENTYYEARS since the Gulbenkian's Iznik pottery catalogue was published comes this book celebrating the impressive decorative repertoire, the great diversity, quantity and quality of Ottoman ceramic ware gathered by Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian.

This publication is based ona selection of eighty representative objects from the various periods of production spanning the start of the 16th century up until the industry's decline in the 17th century. After a brief history of the collection, the first part introduces the various types of ware according to their decoration, in a broadly chronological order. The second part, which is dedicated to tiles, deals with large panels, frieze and border tiles, most of which are on permanent display in the Museum.

Calouste Gulbenkian's first contact with Ottoman ceramics, which coincided with the beginning of his career as a collector, took place in 1898 when he bought four Iznik fritware dishes at Christie's in London, two of which are of the highest quality, decorated over a scale background. Over the following forty years, Gulbenkian steadily collected the remaining pieces making up this important group, which also includes the magnificent ceramic tile panels.

Foreword

Calouste Gulbenkian, collector of Iznik pottery and tiles

The Iznik ceramic industry

POTTERY

Blue-and-white decoration

 and the Chinese influence nos. 1-7

The evoLution of the colour range nos. 8-16

 Slipware nos. 17-Z1

Polychromy

 Floral decoration nos. 22-38

 Animal decoration nos. 39-43

 Eclecticisms nos. 44-55

 Turkey and Europe (reciprocal influences) nos. 56-60

TILES

 nos. 61-80

Bibliography