Object Type
Tiles with painted underglaze decoration were a major product of the potteries of Iznik in Turkey from the mid-16th century. Initially these were produced primarily for the court of the Ottoman emperor, and the quality of the products was exceptional. Tiles were not used as extensively on the facades of Ottoman buildings as they were elsewhere in the Islamic world. This is perhaps because Ottoman architecture is largely built from stone rather than brick. Instead, tilework was normally used to provide rich splashes of colour on building exteriors, or to emphasise important areas of the interiors, such as the mihrab (niche for prayer).

Materials & Making
A characteristic feature of Iznik tiles is the use of an intense red decoration known as 'Armenian bole'. This was an iron-rich slip (liquid clay) that was applied thickly to prevent the decoration running under the glaze when the object was fired in the kiln.

Influence on Europe
During the 19th century large quantities of tiles from the Islamic world were sold on the European market. Iznik tiles had a marked influence on tilemakers in Britain, and spawned copies both by artist-potters as well as larger manufacturers.