Page 281 - The Age of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent

208. Pair of spandrels with floral sprays, second half sixteenth century
(Copenhagen, The David Collection, 2/1962)

square while the remaining are shaped to fit the lunette. As pierce one another in the characteristic saz manner. Although
seen in the example in Boston (209), each panel is framed by the design was reproduced from a cartoon and copied on a
a blue band with blossoms joined to a pair of curving leaves, series of panels, each shows a fresh rendition.
which overlap other blossoms and are themselves overlaid Piyale Pa§a, who served as the grand admiral of the Otto-
with tulips, and form reciprocal S-shaped motifs. In the cen- man fleet between 1554 and 1568, was married to Hace
tral field is a trefoil created by red cloud bands that knot at Gevheri Mülük, the daughter of Selim II. His mosque was
the base and swirl out to the sides. Inside the trefoil is a com- once part of a complex thought to have been designed by
posite hatayi with branches growing from its outer petals and Sinan. Other tiles in this building show the same high quality
forming at the sides spiral scrolls bearing blossoms, buds, and observed in the lunettes, and are composed of similar saz
leaves. Other branches evolve from the knot and develop scrolls. 132 The lunettes, made for one of the buildings in the
similar formations. The elements overlap, twist, turn, and complex or for Piyale Papa's residence, were most likely

280