Page 147 - ART OF THE ISLAMIC AND INDIAN WORLDS Carpets, Ceramics Objects, Christie's London Oct..27, 2022

126
AN IZNIK POTTERY JUG
OTTOMAN TURKEY, CIRCA 1600
The white ground decorated under the glaze in bole-red, cobalt-blue, green
and black, with ships and rock motifs, the shoulder with a band of chevrons,
the mouth with a band of "wave and rock" motifs, repaired breaks
13in. (32.5cm.) high
£30,000-50,000 US$35,000-57,000
€35,000-57,000
PROVENANCE:
Victor Adda, Alexandria and Rome (d.1965) and thence by descent

Although the potters of Iznik showed great inventiveness in the motifs
and designs with which they decorated their wares, most of the
production of Iznik was very standardized in form. This fine Iznik jug is
extremely rare in that it is completely without parallel in shape. Iznik jugs
(or bardak), are the most frequently encountered form of pouring vessel
created, but they are of very distinct shape with straight neck and handle
(see lot 140 in the current sale). Atasoy and Raby write that the proportion
and the height of the neck tended to vary but that the basic size and
shape of this form remain unchanged from around 1510 to the 17 century
th
(Nurhan Atasoy and Julian Raby, Iznik, the Pottery of Ottoman Turkey,
London, 1989, p.47). Not only is ours a good 10cm. or so taller than most
of the standard jugs, but the body has a more taller, more cylindrical form,
tapering slightly towards the base. It is a complete outlier, and shows a
degree of experimentation unusual for Iznik.

The motif of the sailing ship is one that was used on Iznik pottery since the
th
early days of blue-and-white in the early 16 century, as shown by a famous
dish in the Victoria & Albert Museum, and also a fragmentary tile sold in our
Paris saleroom, 7 March 2007, lot 144. For a discussion of the development of
the design please see Gönül Öney, ‘Iznik Pottery Embracing the High Seas’,
Art and Culture Magazine, Spring 2003, Issue 8, pp.78-91.
Another unusual Iznik jug decorated with ships was sold in these Rooms, 5
October 2010.

144 In addition to the hammer price, a Buyer’s Premium (plus VAT) is payable. Other taxes and/or an Artist Resale Royalty 145
fee are also payable if the lot has a tax or λ symbol. Check Section D of the Conditions of Sale at the back of this catalogue.