Art Institute of Chicago

Tile with Floral Design

Syria

Date

Ottoman dynasty (1299–1923), 16th/17th century

Medium

Fritware with polychrome painting under transparent glaze

Culture

Damascus

Department

Arts of Asia

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

This tile belongs to group of ceramics sometimes referred to as Damascus or Syrian ware that are closely related to Iznik ceramics. These wares were produced in Damascus in the mid-16th century when the Ottoman sultan, Suleyman the Magnificent, sent Iznik potters to repair and restore tilework at the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. After refurbishing the tilework, these artisans settled in Damascus, where they continued to produce tiles and vessels. While similar in style to the tiles produced in Iznik, tiles made in Syria in the Ottoman period employ a different color palette to depict vegetal and geometric forms. Syrian ceramics did not use the crisp white ground and only rarely used the vibrant tomato red typical of Iznik ceramics. Instead, Syrian tilework tended toward a more muted color palette of natural greens and blues.

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