Iznik Polychrome Porcelain

Timeline

1. c. 1480–1520Iznik · Ottoman EmpireFrom the late 15th to early 16th century, Iznik craftsmen built on Seljuk and early Ottoman pottery to develop white-bodied wares painted in cobalt blue, chiefly supplying the court and religious buildings.
2. c. 1541–1550Iznik · Ottoman EmpireIn the 1540s Iznik kilns introduced glaze colors such as tomato red; forms ranged from large platters to tiles and vases, with tulip, carnation, and scrolling vine motifs, becoming important decorative material for Suleiman-era court buildings such as the Süleymaniye Mosque.
3. c. 1570–1650Iznik · Ottoman EmpireAfter the 1570s Iznik wares were exported to Europe via Venice and elsewhere while domestic demand expanded; by the mid-17th century, changes in raw materials, technique, and competition caused the classic polychrome quality to gradually decline.