, Iznik, Turkey, circa 1560, The square tile with white ground painted in two shades of blue together with red and turquoise, the centre with two saz leaves issuing from spiralling tendrils, part flowerheads along the sides. This tile can be associated with the Ramazan O?lu mosque in Adana, Turkey (constructed 1550-1560). A polychrome underglaze-painted tile in shades of cobalt blue, turquoise and sealing-wax-red, black outlines against a white ground, depicting a crisp symmetrical design of saz-leaves at the centre, half composite lotus blossoms on each edge and quarter floral motives in each corner, all connected by spiralling vines. The large overblown lotus flowers seen on the upper and lower edges each have a demilune central bud painted in a raised sealing-wax-red, surrounded by smaller leaves both cusped and curved in shades of cobalt blue with turquoise details. The half lotus on the right edge of the tile has a contrasting design of spiky serrated petals surrounding a turquoise flower-head with trefoil petals. Small red buds peep out from between the petals. In contrast to the sharpness of these motifs, the half lotus to the left edge of the tile has radiating layers of smoother, rounder cusped trefoil petals, though spikey Timurid-insprired forms still loom in the form of pointed turqoise buds, red veins like spokes and a small lotus with sharp petals overlaid to the centre. A large saz-leaf emanating from the half lotus on the lower edge curves towards the centre of the design, while a smaller saz-leaf emerging from the half-lotus at the left edge curls into the upper left corner, the flourish of the saz-leaves suggesting decorative finals. Vines emerging from the half- lotus blossoms spiral into the centre of the tile where they terminate in two large saz-leaves, with the central forms paired up and parallel, curving inwards and incorporating semI-circular rosettes divided into small sections by wax-red petals. The design suggests a circle, which was considered by contemporaries as the most perfect form. This suggestion has been constructed by the use of the saz-leaf motif, which genre was established in the Timurid and Safavid traditions of Persia, examples of which would have arrived in Constantinople by the second quarter of the 16th Century. The saz-leaf motif consisted of stylised chinoiserie lotus leaves worked up into heavily modelled, intricate compositions with feathery leaves. 25,5 x 25,5 cm, Edges chipped. Provenance: Private collection, The Netherlands Christie’s London, 10 October 2006, sale DIV-7263, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, lot 82 Literature: J.M. Rogers (ed.), Topkapi Saray Museum: Architecture, 1988, p.32, figs 62-64 Walter Deny, Gardens of Paradise, 16th Century Turkish Ceramic Tiles Decoration, Istanbul, 1998, pl.36- 37 and p.70 Simon Ray, Indian & Islamic Works of Art, London, 1 November 2014-30 November 2014, (Cat. No 26, p.58, illustrated is an identical tile) Simon Ray, Indian & Islamic Works of Art, London, 1 November 2015-30 November 2015, (Cat. No 19, p.42, illustrated is a tile of identical design, but with darker colours, An Iznik polychrome pottery tile, Iznik, Turkey, circa 1560 25,5 x 25,5 cm Provenance: Private collection, The Netherlands Christie’s London, 10 October 2006, sale DIV-7263, Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds, lot 82 This tile can be associated with the Ramazan O?lu mosque in Adana, Turkey (constructed 1550-1560) A polychrome underglaze-painted tile in shades of cobalt blue, turquoise and sealing-wax-red, black outlines against a white ground, depicting a crisp symmetrical design of saz-leaves at the centre, half composite lotus blossoms on each edge and quarter floral motives in each corner, all connected by spiralling vines. The large overblown lotus flowers seen on the upper and lower edges each have a demi- lune central bud painted in a raised sealing-wax-red, surrounded by smaller leaves both cusped and curved in shades of cobalt blue with turquoise details. The half lotus on the right edge of the tile has a contrasting design of spiky serrated petals surrounding a turquoise flower-head with trefoil petals. Small red buds peep out from between the petals. In contrast to the sharpness of these motifs, the half lotus to the left edge of the tile has radiating layers of smoother, rounder cusped trefoil petals, though spikey Timurid-insprired forms still loom in the form of pointed turqoise buds, red veins like spokes and a small lotus with sharp petals overlaid to the centre. A large saz-leaf emanating from the half lotus on the lower edge curves towards the centre of the design, while a smaller saz-leaf emerging from the half-lotus at the left edge curls into the upper left corner, the flourish of the saz-leaves suggesting decorative finals. Vines emerging from the half- lotus blossoms spiral into the centre of the tile where they terminate in two large saz-leaves, with the central forms paired up and parallel, curving inwards and incorporating semI-circular rosettes divided into small sections by wax-red petals. The design suggests a circle, which was considered by contemporaries as the most perfect form. This suggestion has been constructed by the use of the saz-leaf motif, which genre was established in the Timurid and Safavid traditions of Persia, examples of which would have arrived in Constantinople by the second quarter of the 16th Century. The saz-leaf motif consisted of stylised chinoiserie lotus leaves worked up into heavily modelled, intricate compositions with feathery leaves. Literature: J.M. Rogers (ed.), Topkapi Saray Museum: Architecture, 1988, p.32, figs 62-64 Walter Deny, Gardens of Paradise, 16th Century Turkish Ceramic Tiles Decoration, Istanbul, 1998, pl.36- 37 and p.70 Simon Ray, Indian & Islamic Works of Art, London, 1 November 2014-30 November 2014, (Cat. No 26, p.58, illustrated is an identical tile) Simon Ray, Indian & Islamic Works of Art, London, 1 November 2015-30 November 2015, (Cat. No 19, p.42, illustrated is a tile of identical design, but with darker colours,
