This rare blue and white ball was made for suspension in a mosque or tomb from the same chain as the lamps or on chains at the same level as the lamps. The flattened sphere has a nipple at the bottom and a hole at the top that served a dual function: it allowed air to escape during firing and was used to attach a hook for suspension. The shape may have been imitating Ostrich eggs which are also found suspended from chains. Ostrich eggs were often a memento of a pilgrimage to Mecca.
Physical description
Spherical hanging ornament, fritware, compressed spherical form, with pierced nipple at the bottom and a hole at the top, painted in cobalt blue with a frame around the hole, above a second zone framed by a beaded band containing an elaborate foliate kufi inscription on a blue ground with with blossoms and triple dots sprinkled in the voids, an abbreviated form of Allah above the letters, the zone at the bottom, also painted in reserve is divided into three sections by knotted bands that evolve from a star enclosing the nipple.
Place of Origin
Iznik, Turkey (made)
Turkey (made)
Date
ca. 1515 (made)
Artist/maker
Unknown (production)
Materials and Techniques
Fritware painted in underglaze blue
Dimensions
Height: 13.6 cm, Diameter: 17.3 cm
Descriptive line
Hanging ornament, fritware, painted in underglaze blue, Turkey, Iznik, about 1515
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Atil, Esin, The Age of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent. Catalogue of the Exhibition held at The National Gallery of Art, Washington, 25th Jan - 17th May, 1987; The Art Institute of Chicago, 14th June - 7th Sept., 1987; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 4th Oct - 17th Jan., 1988. Washington: The National Gallery of Art and New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc, 1987. ISBN 0-89468-098-6 (paper), 0-8109-1855-2 (cloth). Plate 167, p. 320, illustration p. 247.
Lane, A. 'The Ottoman Pottery of Isnik' In: Ars Orientalis, 2, 1957, pp 247-281. P. 261
Atasoy, Nurhan and Raby, Julian. Iznik. The Pottery of Ottoman Turkey. London: Alexandria Press, 1989, p. 90, ill. 79 and p. 152, Plate 280.
Labels and date
Ball for suspension in a mosque.
TURKISH (ISNIK); early 16th century
337-1903 [1954-2005]
Materials
Fritware
Techniques
Underglaze
Collection code
MES
