Hanging Ornament

Unknown

19th century · Stonepaste; polychrome painted under transparent glaze · Islamic Art

Though this mosque ornament, probably meant to hang in conjunction with a mosque lamp, looks like Iznik ware at first glance, the discrepancies in color and design point to the regional center of Kütahya as its place of production. The blues and green of the decorative medallions appear runny and washed-out, the black arabesques are an anomaly not found in Iznik pottery, and the painting of the motifs seems more fussy and strenuous than comparable sixteenth-century wares. Nonetheless, this piece is a well-crafted copy and follows almost exactly the design of an Iznik mosque ornament now in the Benaki Museum in Athens.

Artist

Unknown

Date

19th century

Medium

Stonepaste; polychrome painted under transparent glaze

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

Bequest of Benjamin Altman, 1913