1996.83 Plate

This Turkish dish is an example of the kind of wares produced and subsidized by the Ottoman court, initially at Iznik in western Anatolia and later at a town known as Kutahya. Iznik ware, as this type of porcelain is known, was originally inspired by the shapes and colors of Chinese porcelains. 

This multicolor plate expresses the style of later Ottoman ware, which uses a wider range of colors than the earlier blue-and-white ware [see 1996.82]. The blurred nature of the design indicates that it was produced after the 16th and 17th centuries, when design quality was no longer as tightly controlled.

The production of vessels for practical use and for display is reflected in this piece. But much of the huge Iznik ceramic industry was also coupled with the Ottoman's monumental building program. Ceramic tiles produced in Iznik were used as wall decoration on the enormous royal mosques and palaces of Istanbul and in other important cities. This meant tremendous sums of money were poured into tile production at least through the mid-17th century, when quality and technical excellence remained extremely high.

Ottoman (style): AAT: 300021614

Turkey (nation): TGN: 1000144

Iznik (Ottoman pottery styles): AAT: 300021623

ceramic (material): AAT: 300235507

Islam: AAT: 300073715

Islamic (culture or style): AAT: 300380013

Ottoman (style): AAT: 300021614

Until 1996: Sarah Dorsey Brown Hudson (1905-1996) 

1996: Dallas Museum of Art, bequest of Sarah Dorsey Brown Hudson

The main source for this provenance is the record "Sarah Dorsey Brown Hudson: Gifts to Dallas Museum of Art," (dated March 28, 1996, copy in Dallas Museum of Art Collections Records Object File).

Apply to objects where number equals 1996.83