Page 246 - The Age of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent

Interior, 165

These two features have been combined, creating a most ef- themes but adapted them to suit a three-dimensional object.
fective circular composition. The motifs used on the exterior An almost identical piece is in the Victoria and Albert Mu-
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also follow those employed in manuscripts. seum. This example shows another band around the foot
The artist who produced this bowl was a highly skilled pot- and a slightly different handling of motifs, indicating that it
ter who was able to throw a large and perfect piece. One was produced as an individual piece. There are several other
wonders whether he was also responsible for the decoration, large bowls with similar reciprocal panels on the inner walls,
which shows masterful brushwork, employing light and dark their exteriors decorated with simpler hatayi scrolls rendered
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cobalt blue to shade and accentuate the elements. It is possi- in blue on a white ground. These oversize bowls must be
ble that the shape was produced by one specialist and the de- the ones mentioned in the 1505 inventory of the Hazine. Un-
sign painted by another, who not only relied on nakka§hane fortunately none have survived in Turkish collections and all

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