Carreau aux fruits de grenade

Turkey, Iznik, circa 1640 A square siliceous ceramic facing tile with polychrome glazed decoration under a transparent glaze, depicting a branch garnished with pomegranate fruits coloured in turquoise and cross-hatched red. Framed 24 x 24 cm An Ottoman pottery tile, Turkey, Iznik, circa 1640 The square tile with white ground painted with scrolling vine sprouting flowerheads, leaves and blue and red pomegranates. While the pomegranate motif is very common in the decorative repertoire of Ottoman Turkey, the highly stylized treatment of the fruit on our tile, cut in half by red stripes, evoking the seeds of the sliced fruit, is quite specific. This design was conceived in Iznik for the Sarospatac castle in Transylvania, built between 1639 and 1641, at the request of Prince George I Rakoczy. Correspondence attests that the design was supplied by the prince's court to Turkish craftsmen. Provenance: Private collection from the South of France References: V. Gervers-Molnar, "Les carreaux turcs du 17e siècle et leur exportation", 5th International Congress of Turkish Art, Budapest, 1978, p. 367 and 381. Related work: T. Saner, S. Eryavuz, H. Bilgi, "Motif from the Sadberk Hanim Museum Collection", catalogue 225, p. 326 for a similar tile.