.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
Decorated spandrels were in use in Turkish architecture from as early as the Seljuk period, see for example those from the Kubadabad palace at Beysehir which are in stucco and decorated with peacocks (The Age of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent, exhibition catalogue, Sydney, 2000, no.79, pp.92-93). Iznik tiles later became a popular method of decorating these spaces and Iznik tile spandrels exist in several museum collections across the world.
This spandrel tile is decorated with elegant white cloud-bands highlighted in bole-red and turquoise on a cobalt-blue ground. A panel of Iznik tiles, with spandrels similarly decorated but on turquoise ground, decorates the wall of the tomb of Sultan Selim II and similar spandrels but on bole-red ground decorate the porch of the same building (circa 1574; Walter Denny, Gardens of Paradise, 1998, pl.51, p.98). The more flexible format of cloud-band designs worked well for spandrel tiles; indeed, similar cloud-band spandrels, again on turquoise ground, also surmount a doorway arch in the interior of the tomb of Süleyman I (circa 1566; Denny, op.cit., pl.32, pp.66-67). A pair with similar colouring to ours are in the Sünnet Odasi in the Topkapi Palace, Istanbul (Denny, op.cit., pl.40, pp78-79) and in the tomb of Sultan Murad III (circa 1600; Denny, op.cit., pl.64). All of these panels differ from ours in that the spandrels are drawn onto regular square tiles. Ours is rather shaped to fit a particular space, most likely over a niche, window or doorway. A spandrel tile with arabesques and palmette and cloud-band border was sold in these Rooms, 28 October 2021, lot 90.
This spandrel tile is decorated with elegant white cloud-bands highlighted in bole-red and turquoise on a cobalt-blue ground. A panel of Iznik tiles, with spandrels similarly decorated but on turquoise ground, decorates the wall of the tomb of Sultan Selim II and similar spandrels but on bole-red ground decorate the porch of the same building (circa 1574; Walter Denny, Gardens of Paradise, 1998, pl.51, p.98). The more flexible format of cloud-band designs worked well for spandrel tiles; indeed, similar cloud-band spandrels, again on turquoise ground, also surmount a doorway arch in the interior of the tomb of Süleyman I (circa 1566; Denny, op.cit., pl.32, pp.66-67). A pair with similar colouring to ours are in the Sünnet Odasi in the Topkapi Palace, Istanbul (Denny, op.cit., pl.40, pp78-79) and in the tomb of Sultan Murad III (circa 1600; Denny, op.cit., pl.64). All of these panels differ from ours in that the spandrels are drawn onto regular square tiles. Ours is rather shaped to fit a particular space, most likely over a niche, window or doorway. A spandrel tile with arabesques and palmette and cloud-band border was sold in these Rooms, 28 October 2021, lot 90.