Dish

Name/Title

Dish

Entry/Object ID

286

Acquisition

Accession

1891.001

Source or Donor

Anthony J. Drexel, Philadelphia

Acquisition Method

Gift

Credit Line

Gift of Anthony J. Drexel

Made/Created

Artist

Unidentified

Place

Country

Turkey

Region

Middle East

Continent

Asia

Dimensions

Height

2 in

Diameter

11-7/8 in

Material

cobalt, lead glaze, Fritware

Interpretative Labels

Label Type

Exhibition Label

Label

Chinese blue and white porcelain produced during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) was widely exported to the Ottoman court since the end of the 15th century and became the catalyst for many regional imitations. In order to imitate the white and translucent body of Chinese porcelain, Near Eastern potters developed a new technology based on old Egyptian practices: fritware, where ground quartz was mixed with clay and silica giving a pure white appearance to the earthenware after it was fired.

Label Type

Exhibition Label

Label

These ceramics were made around the height of the Ottoman Empire; in the town of Iznik which is famous for their pottery. The Ottoman court admired Chinese porcelain but was unable to create it themselves so the ceramics of Iznik adapted by making fritware, a low-fired ceramic comprising of mainly silica and glass.