Dish decorated with tulips

This dish (sahan), in colours of cobalt blue and turquoise against a cream background, was a crucial milestone in the history of trade between Asia and the Mediterranean Basin. Its form is reminiscent of the Islamic copper dishes of the early 15th century, although it was a contemporary of the reign of the Turkish Ottoman Sultan, Suleiman the Magnificent (Süleyman Kanuni, 1520-1566). The court in Istanbul had such an appreciation for the blue and white porcelain imported from China – so precious it was reserved only for the sultan – that the studios of Istanbul began to produce pieces inspired by oriental creations. Not having learned the secrets behind the luminous whiteness of porcelain, they covered their silica paste with a coating of tin oxide, which turns into a white enamel when fired, and a transparent, glossy glaze.

This dish’s decoration also shows the eastern influence, adapted to the tastes of the Ottoman elite. The edging of “waves and rocks” was inspiring by Chinese ceramics, although the stylized plant motifs radiating out from the centre are typical of the Islamic world. This dish is evidence of the taste of the Mediterranean elite for luxury products imported along the Silk Road, that influenced local artists and encouraged them to develop new techniques.