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Dick Osseman | all galleries >> Galleries >> Iznik tiles and other pieces of Turkish earthenware > Istanbul dec 2007 1245b.jpg
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12-DEC-2006

Istanbul dec 2007 1245b.jpg

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A mural panel in the Sünnet Odası (Circumcision Room), in the north corner of the palace.
This room was originally built around 1530 as a summer pavilion, and renewed in 1640.
From the early 18th century on the royal princes were solemnly circumcised here, which was the occasion for grandiose festivities lasting for twenty days and nights.
Multi-color Iznik tiles, 1st half of the 17th century.

İznik work, named after the town in western Anatolia where it was made, is a decorated ceramic that was produced from the last quarter of the 15th century until the end of the 17th century. İznik town was an established centre for the production of simple earthenware pottery with an underglaze decoration when in the last quarter of the 15th century, craftsmen in the town began to manufacture high quality pottery with a fritware body (frit being added to clay to reduce its fusion temperature), painted with cobalt blue under a colourless lead glaze. During the 16th century the decoration of the tiles and pottery gradually changed in style, becoming looser and more flowing. Additional colours were introduced. Initially turquoise was combined with the dark shade of cobalt blue and then the pastel shades of sage green and pale purple were added. Finally, in the middle of the 16th century, a very characteristic bole red replaced the purple and a bright emerald green replaced the sage green.

Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen.
Sources: Websites of ‘3dmekanlar.com’ & ‘topkapisarayi.gov.tr’ and Wikipedia.

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