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IZNIK POTTERY  EMBRACING THE HIGH SEAS

By  GÖNÜL ÖNEY

P    ART AND CULTURE MAGAZINE  

SHIPS  IN  ARTS

SPRING 2003  ISSUE 8

As the Ottoman Empire extended its bouındaries from Anatolia deep into Euroe, Asia and Africa, is was only natural that dominance of the high seas would follow. As might be expected, the conquest of the seas found its reflection in the art world. Iznik pottery was increasingly decorated with ship motifs. Galleons and galleys adorned plates, vases, mugs, incence burners and pitchers. “Kitab-ı Bahriye”, the masterpiece of the pioneering seaman and cartographer Piri Reis, dated 1521, presently in the library of İstanbul University, became a valuable guide in facilitating voyages to remote parts of the world from tha Aegean to Mediterranean ports, from Indian Ocean to China. The dominance of the seas reached its apex during the reign of Sultan Süleyman, the Magnificent known also as Süleyman the Lawmaker (1520 – 1555). The Ottoman navy contolled most of the Mediterranean from Greece to Adriatic to Sicily, Sardunia, Corsica, North African Coastline, Crete and Cyprus.

  Ottoman galleons and galleys brought valuable carpets, fabrics, ceramic ware from far away places as war spoils giving an impetus to the development of Ottoman trade and art world. In turn, exported Ottoman goods and artworks became fashionable items in palaces and homes of the rish and mighty in Europe, Asia and Africa. Iznik ceramic ware their share in the overseas trade and found their way to all parts of Europe ans African coastline.The fact that many exquisite Iznik ceramics are found in museums and collections abroad can be attributed to lively trade of the period. Due to their travel over marine trade routes, some Iznik  ware were erroneously attributed to Rhodos or Lindos. All this movement via  sea routes was possible by the increasing marine trade devoloped during the reign of Sultan Süleyman. The capture of Rhodos in 1522 and the ensueing Ottoman influence explains how İznik ceamic ware found their way to Rhodos and became to be called “Rhodos ware” .

   Sultan Süleyman reinforced the  Ottoman marine power by recruiting Barbarossa , the  feared roving Admiral of the high seas and putting  him in command of  the Ottoman Navy. Sultan Süleyman gave Barbarossa the name of “ Hayrettin” which means “ performer of good things” . In the winter of the year 1533 – 34 , 61 galleys were built in the shipyards of İstanbul for new mediterranean expeditions.  The following years were years of victorious naval battles culminating in the defeat in 1538, at Preveze of The Venetian Navy under the command of famous Admiral Andrea Doria. All these glorious achievements increased the  interest of the Ottoman in the sea and ships. Eventually , all these spactacular develoments found their refletions in the arts and crafts. Hence galleons and galleys and marine scenes became frequent subjects adorning İznik ware. Iznik ceramics must have foud their ways to the palaces and eventually  to the museums and collections in Egypt, considering the close relations between the Ottoman Court and the Egyptian Governor Hadım İbrahim Pasha.  The so – called Indian expedition of the Ottoman Navy was initiated by İbrahim Pasha .  The Ottoman Armada  consisting of twenty galleys started in Red Sea under the command od Selman Reis and culminated its expedition with the conquest of Yemen , Aden and the Southern coast of the Arabian  Peninsula.

   After the signature of peace agreement between the Ottoman Court and Venice in 1540 ,  the commercial and political relations were reinforced. Alhough the Ottoman dominance in the Mediterranean somewhat diminishes after the death in 1546 of  Barbaros Hayrettin Pasha , the influential presence of the Ottoman sea power is perpetuated by  able admirals like Turgut Reis , Piyale Pasha, Kılış Ali Pasha and Uluç Hasan Pasha. However, the turing point came  with the Inehbahtı in 1571 by the Spanish and Venetian  Navies. This decline  in  naval supremacy coincides with the advent of general decline of thr Empire. In similar fashion , the ceramic production in Iznik  shows a marked decline in quality at the and or 16 th and during 17 th century.

     The capture of Cyprus in 1570 by Selim II gave a boost to the morale of the naval force.

    During the long reign of Sultan Murat III, relaions with Venice wereimproved partly due to Sultan’s wife Safiye Sultan , being of Venetian origin ( 1574 – 1595 ) . However, the Crete  expedition of Sultan İbrahim in 1645 , the ongoing fighting with the Venetian Navy during the reign of Murat IV  ( 1623-1640 ) , the completion of the war Crete with success in 1668 leading to peace with Venice,  the defeat of Venetian Navy in Rhodos and Mora Peninsula are the last successful expeditions in the seas during 17 th century.

    The political and trade relations, wars, ambassadors arriving in İstanbul, the women of European origin brought to the Ottoman Court all were instrumental in arousiing interest in the western world, which, in turn  explains the long journey of Iznik ceremics ware to the museums and collections abroad.

   The interest in ships which became fashionable with the victorious expeditions and trade in the high seas found their reflection on Iznik ceramics. The ottoman Galleons, galleys built in İstanbul shipyards, which in turn carried the Iznik Ceramic ware to remote places as part of trade were all pictured on plates, mugs, vases and pitvhers. In  similar fashion, the 16th and 17th century miniatures produced in the palace workshops depicted victories in the seas, naval expeditions and important harbours.The common subject matter of ceramic ware and miniatures showing ships, galleons and the ottoman Armada points to the importance and interest attached to the outstanding events of the time.

    While galleons and galleys arepictured in groups during the 16th century as if to emphasize the might of the navy, the 17th century plates generally depict single vessels as if the great dream is beginning to fade away. The design used on Iznik ceramics were prepared in palace workshops and sent to Iznik for application. The most striking and beatiful examples are dated to the middle of 16 th century, in effect heralding and commemorating victories in high seas.  

   Like other Iznik ceramic ware the ship bearing ceramics are made on high quality non-porous white clay found in the Iznik area with underglaze technique. The designs are made under the transparent glazing in black, cobalt blue ( azure ) light blue , turquoise, green and coral red. In 17th century specimens the colors became progressively paler, the designs become smudgy with the colors running over the contours.The famed red coloour , the hallmark of 16th century ware becomes brownish or orange. The decline of quality is matched by the simlificaiton of design.  

   The majority of Iznik ceramics with ship figures are broad-rimmed, slightly deep plates with a diameter around 30 cm. The ship figures appear singly or in groups represantative of a navy. In most cases , large – size fish and ball – like figures reminiscent of amoe – bic creatures are depicted in the sea. In some cases, a small cabin, in watchpost, is shown in the front of the galleons. Certain elements of Chinese ceramic ware , highly popular in the Ottoman Court, find new application, in a secondary manner in Iznik ware.  In this context, wavy clouds, three balls and abstract helical rock formations are used to embellished the scenery and design. The helical ornaments placed intermittently along the circumference are reminiscent of abstract Chinese rock design, possibly representing the rocky shoreline. The floral motifs used often 17th century examples are probably  aimed to represent the green shoreline. Decorative elements like Chinese clouds with three lobed tops, in red, blue, or green appear as isles representing land with abstract foliage and flowers. In rare examples, towers, forts and big tents are shown on the isles. In some cases details likes rope holding the sails, smoke rising after gun shots are noticeable. Helical bordure design reminiscent of Chineses rock representations embellish the broad rims.  

    Mugs constitute  the most common ware after the plates . They are normally 20 cm. high bulky cups with a handle similar in size to to present day beer mugs. These utensils are like cups used to celebrate occasions and events. Some art historians refer the mugs as utencils used for drinking “ boza”  , a grain-based, fermented drink.  

  Vases and pitchers are comparatively rare objects due to the difficulty in shaping them. For this reason, they are usually meticulously designed and produced . Both in mugs and also in vases and pitchers having a heigh of 40-50 cm. , the decoration appears as three rows of  sailboats, one on top of the other, while  the neck  has two rows of smaller  ones in following formation. The ship figures adorning Iznik ceramic ware vary from galleys with long and slender hulls  to multi storeyed galleons with single or three masts and full – blown white , blue or striped sails. Galleons usually have  two or three layered sails with some sails rolled and tied to the mast. The red circular spots seen under the upper deck represent guns. The presence of numerous flags on different masts  seem to symbolize the might of the Ottoman Navy. In some cases, a small cabin is perched on the front, used for keeping watch during voyage.