Plate

Object Details

• Description

  Plate with everted flattened rim; low foot with flat unglazed footrim.

  Clay: buff colored faience.

  Glaze: transparent over white slip and painting in turquoise, cobalt blue, and red; drawing in black.

  Decoration: floral medallions and scrolling leaves on scale ground; trefoils around rim; blue blossoms and black scrolls on white ground outside.

• Provenance

  By 1968-1969

  Safani Gallery, New York, method of acquisition unknown [1]

  From 1969

  National Museum of Art, Smithsonian Institution, purchased from Safani Gallery, New York [2]

  Notes:

  [1] See object file for copy of J. A. Pope letter to E. Safani, dated December 26, 1968. Pope referred to objects shown to him at Safani’s gallery in New York during an earlier visit in Autumn. “I have not been able to write to you about the handsome things you were kind enough to show me.” This includes object F1969.1, described as “Iznik turquoise blue dish with scale pattern; floral medallion in center with dark blue, red and white.” By January 10, 1969, Safani had shipped the object, with others, to the Freer Gallery of Art for examination. See object file for copy of Freer vault record no. V6.69.

  Safani Gallery was founded in New York City by Edward Safani (1912-1998) in 1946. He was son-in-law to Dr. Benjamin Mahmoubian (1868-1968), a dealer of Islamic art, and nephew by marriage to Khalil (1906-1961) and Ayoub (1902-1984) Rabenou, also dealers in Islamic art. Safani apprenticed with Khalil and Ayoub in Paris before moving to New York in 1946. Safani was considered an expert in Islamic and ancient Near Eastern art as well as ancient glass, and his gallery sold major works to leading museums around the world. His son Alan Safani (b. 1947) has managed Safani Gallery since 1998.

  [2] See copy of Safani Gallery invoice to the Freer Gallery of Art, dated May 14, 1969 and marked approved by the Secretary of the Smithsonian on March 19, 1969. This work is part of the Museum’s Freer Gallery of Art Collection.

  Research updated November 21, 2023

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Engaging the Senses (October 14, 2017 - ongoing)

  Arts of the Islamic World (May 3, 1998 to January 3, 2016)

  Turkish Art (May 26, 1982 to June 24, 1982)

  Turkish Ceramics (September 24, 1982 to May 10, 1985)

  Turkish Art (November 1, 1980 to May 25, 1982)

  Turkish Art—Special Exhibition (August 1 to December 19, 1973)

  Near Eastern Art—Paintings, Pottery (August 18, 1967 to February 10, 1972)

• Previous custodian or owner

  E. Safani

• Origin

  Iznik, Turkey

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Vessel

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1530s, 1560s

• Name

  Safani (Safani Gallery), E.

• Place

  Iznik

• Topic

  Iznik ware, Art, Ottoman period (1307 - 1922), Arts of the Islamic World, Stone-paste, Ceramics

• Culture

  Muslims, Turks

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)