Perfectly red

The hard, white body of Chinese porcelain was an inspiration to ceramicists in the Islamic world from as early as the 2nd–3rd centuries AH/9th century CE. Around AH 885/1480 CE the potters of Iznik, a small town southeast of Istanbul, developed a new type of ceramic, much harder and whiter than the earthenware clay they had been using earlier. Iznik pottery became extremely fashionable at court, and was also highly prized as an exotic luxury import in Europe.

Over the next 80 years, inspired by designs supplied by court artists in Istanbul, the potters gradually developed the skill to use bold new colors. The most challenging of these to achieve was red, which was difficult to control when applied to ceramics as it lost its intensity easily and affected the glaze during the firing process. It was not until around the mid-10th century AH/ 16th century CE that the potters discovered how to create a bright tomato-red color from purified Armenian bole—a local clay rich in iron—which was applied as a thick slip paste beneath the glaze. The color stood without parallel in earlier ceramics and was generally limited in its application to small areas. This dish is remarkable as the whole of the background is covered with Armenian bole red. 

This type of plate, referred to as sahan in contemporary Ottoman documents, was used for food. Similar dishes are often depicted in Ottoman miniature paintings with a domed metal cover to keep the food warm. The floral ornament is typical of Iznik pottery dated towards the end of the 10th century AH/16th century CE. It fuses fantastic flora inspired by Chinese designs with real flowers, such as carnations, tulips, and roses, accompanied by long curving leaves, all on a remarkably thin stem. This plate represents the perfected ability to control the contours and color of the bole red to produce a precise and masterfully drawn floral design against a brilliant ground.