Iznik: The Artistry of Ottoman Ceramics
Walter B. Denny
Covering both Iznik pièces de forme and the famous Iznik tiles that decorate Ottoman imperial monuments, Iznik integrates the entire spectrum of Iznik production, both tiles and wares, and the broader artistic tradition in which it originated. Walter B. Denny begins with a description of the particular nature of Islamic art under the Ottoman empire, as well as the methods of the craftsmen who worked under the imperial auspices. He then examines the links between the court style of Istanbul and the ceramic ateliers in Iznik itself, and the crucial role of the dominant styles of the golden age of Iznik ceramics and their most famous creators, Shah Kulu and Kara Memi. The book showcases the array of motifs – floral, vegetal and figurative – used on Iznik wares, looks at the relationship between non-Muslim communities and the Ottoman empire, and closes with an examination of the rich stylistic heritage that Iznik ceramics have given to Western art. Lavishly illustrated in full colour throughout, this is a panoramic overview of a spectacular and refined artform.
Walter B. Denny teaches art history at the University of Massachusetts/ Amherst and serves, one day a week, as Senior Consultant in Islamic Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He writes extensively on the art of Ottoman Turkey, and has been photographing the Middle East since he was fifteen.
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