Comprehensive Guide to Turkish Decorative Art Branches

Turkish art reached its magnificent peak during the Ottoman Empire, particularly in the 16th and 17th centuries. This artistic legacy continues to captivate art enthusiasts worldwide. The reign of Suleiman the Magnificent (1520–1566) marked a golden age of creativity and craftsmanship, flourishing alongside the empire's military and political achievements.

The rich diversity of traditional Turkish art spans numerous forms. From the UNESCO-recognized Ebru marbling technique, which emerged in the 15th century, to the sophisticated Iznik tiles that adorned mosques and palaces as crown jewels, these art forms tell a story of cultural brilliance. 

In this guide, we’ll explore eight distinct branches of Turkish decorative arts, including ceramics, calligraphy, and metalwork, each representing a remarkable blend of cultural influences that define Turkey’s artistic heritage.
In the history of Islamic culture, three main art branches stand out: handmade ceramics, miniature art, and calligraphy. Let’s dive deeper into these exquisite traditions and uncover their timeless beauty.

Ceramics

Turkish ceramics represent one of the most significant achievements in Islamic art history. The Seljuk period marked the birth of ceramic artistry, blending Iranian influences with local craftsmanship to create a unique aesthetic.

Iznik ceramics reached their zenith during the late 15th and early 16th centuries. These masterpieces distinguished themselves from earlier works through their hard, pure white pastes, fired at temperatures of 1,260 degrees Celsius. With the Ottoman court's patronage, Iznik developed into an advanced ceramic hub. Court artists designed exquisite pieces, which skilled craftsmen brought to life with unparalleled precision and artistry.

The evolution of colors and motifs in Turkish ceramics tells a captivating story. The palette grew increasingly vibrant over time, beginning with blue-and-white designs and expanding to include:

• Turquoise and cobalt blue (15th century)
• Emerald green and purple (mid-16th century)
• The iconic 'coral' red, or "tomato red" as Turkish artisans refer, which debuted in the Suleymaniye Mosque in 1557

Decorative elements also evolved, shifting from Chinese-inspired clouds and arabesques to naturalistic designs featuring tulips, carnations, hyacinths, and roses. During its golden age in the 16th century, Iznik was home to more than 300 artistic workshops, a testament to its thriving creative industry.

The ceramic tradition extended beyond Iznik to other prominent centers. Kütahya, which began as a secondary hub in the 14th century, rose to prominence as western Anatolia's leading producer after Iznik's decline in the 18th century. Meanwhile, Çanakkale, meaning "Pottery Castle," gained fame in the 17th century and even rivaled Iznik in popularity at times.

These ceramic masterpieces were both functional and breathtakingly beautiful. Artisans crafted tiles to adorn mosques and palaces, while also producing deep bowls, vases, ewers, dishes, lamps, and candle-holders. The exceptional quality of Turkish ceramics is reflected in their enduring value—for instance, a single 15th-century collection of Iznik pottery dishes sold at Christie's in 2006 for over $500,000.

Miniatures

Turkish cultural heritage found its unique expression in miniature painting, known as taswir or nakish in Ottoman Turkish. Interestingly, the term 'miniature' derives from minimum (red lead pigment) and has no connection to the artwork's size.

Turkish miniatures reached their zenith during the 16th century, when sultans commissioned most of these works. Far from being mere decorations, these paintings served as meticulous records of political and social events, capturing them with remarkable accuracy.

What set Ottoman miniatures apart from other Islamic art forms was their emphasis on factual documentation over purely aesthetic pursuits.
Creating these miniatures was a highly intricate process, involving several sophisticated steps:

• Pigment Preparation: Ground powder pigments mixed with egg-white or, in later periods, diluted gum arabic.
• Vivid Colors: Artists favored bright red, scarlet, green, and various shades of blue.
• Fine Detailing: Cat fur brushes were used to achieve the intricate details that define these works.

The head painter would design the overall composition, while apprentices drew the contours (tahrir) using black or colored ink. This collaborative process resulted in a unique visual perspective, distinct from European Renaissance traditions. Ottoman miniatures often depicted multiple angles within a single image, offering a dynamic and layered narrative.

The Ottoman Empire’s Nakkashane (painting workshops) operated under palace supervision, where artists collaborated on prestigious projects. Pioneering figures like Sinan Bey, Matrakçi Nasuh, and Levni played pivotal roles in shaping the evolution of Turkish miniature art.

Today, modern artists are keeping this cherished tradition alive while infusing it with contemporary influences. Murat Palta, for instance, has gained acclaim for blending traditional Ottoman art with modern Western cinema, creating miniatures inspired by films like Star Wars and The Godfather.

Similarly, artists like Yilmaz merge Islamic architectural motifs with modern structures, demonstrating how this centuries-old art form continues to evolve and adapt to contemporary expressions.

Rugs and Kilims

Turkish cultural heritage shines brilliantly through its Anatolian rugs and kilims. These exquisite textiles reflect the ethnic and religious diversity of one of humanity's oldest civilizations. While the craft dates back to prehistoric times, the earliest surviving examples we have today originate from the 13th century.

Traditional Techniques and Materials

The artistry of Turkish rug-making is deeply rooted in natural materials, each chosen for its unique qualities. Skilled weavers use:

• Wool: Sourced from sheep, it is the most common material for the pile, prized for its durability and softness.
• Cotton: Primarily used for the foundation, providing strength and structure to the rugs.
• Silk: Reserved for intricate designs, silk adds a luxurious sheen and fine detail to high-end pieces.
• Natural Dyes: Derived from plants, insects, and minerals, these dyes create the vibrant, enduring colors that make Turkish rugs and kilims so distinctive.

Textiles

Alongside kilims, rugs, ceramics, and wares, textiles have been an integral part of daily life across all societies. Among these, certain textiles stand out as luxurious, particularly silken fabrics and garments, which have a princely legacy of their own.

The Turks hold a special place in the history of silk, as they controlled the Silk Road and produced highly original, technically impeccable silken fabrics during the 15th and 16th centuries.

Textiles were not exclusive to women; men also adorned themselves with garments like kaftans and headwear to showcase not only their wealth but also their status, role, or position within the government hierarchy. Beyond clothing, textiles played a vital role in interior decoration, rivaling carpets and kilims in Turkish homes. Cushions, for instance, were among the most fascinating items in an Ottoman Turkish household, whether in a tent or a permanent residence. Even sultans reclined on divans adorned with cushions positioned for comfort and elegance.

Anatolian cities such as Denizli (ancient Laodicea) and Bursa, the first Ottoman capital, were leading textile producers as early as the 13th and 14th centuries, as noted by Marco Polo and the North African traveler Ibn Battuta. Today, original kaftans from this era are preserved and displayed in prestigious museums, including the renowned Topkapi Palace Museum.

Metalwork and Glass

In 2022, The Metropolitan Museum of Art showcased extraordinary glass artworks from artisans in Turkey, Iran, and other Levant countries. These pieces reflected the heritage of generations of craftsmen, showcasing techniques such as blowing, casting, fusing, lamp-working, and cold-working. Glass has long served as a medium for expressing feelings, thoughts, and values, evolving into a symbolic product that reflects the cultural values of the society it belongs to.

While we lack detailed historical records about the development of Turkish glass-making over the centuries, we do have insights into more recent works, some of which have been partially documented. Traditional Turkish glass-making is represented by a limited number of surviving pieces, each reflecting the characteristics of its period and serving as a symbol of Ottoman culture and art.

When it comes to metalwork, two great periods stand out in Anatolian Turkish art history. The Seljuk period was heavily influenced by Iranian and Mesopotamian techniques, with additional inspiration from local Byzantine traditions. In contrast, the Ottomans developed a more original style of metalwork, though its quality was often considered inferior to that of the medieval period. This decline is attributed to the broader downturn in metalworking across Islamic countries following the Mongol invasions, particularly after the 14th century.

Some scholars also link this shift to the rising prestige and development of ceramic art during the same era.

It’s worth noting that the decorative motifs used in minor arts—such as miniatures, stone and wood carvings, ceramics, and metalwork—often share similar or even identical visual vocabularies.

Metalwork, primarily produced for the courts, featured heraldic symbols of nomadic or Sassanian origin (like the double-headed eagle, lions, or enthroned sultans seated cross-legged—a Central Asian motif), astrological symbols such as the moon and sun, and imported Chinese motifs like lotuses, peonies, griffons, and phoenixes. Large inscription bands were also a common decorative element.

Calligraphy

Let’s begin with the renowned calligraphers of the Ottoman period: Mustafa Râkım (1757–1826), Şeyh Hamdullah (1436–1520), Hâfız Osman (1642–1698), and Hamid Aytaç (1891–1982). We also pay special tribute to contemporary calligraphers, including many talented young women. (The esteemed historian of Ottoman calligraphy, Mustakimzade (d. 1788/89), documented eleven women calligraphers in his writings.)

While many crafts reflect the artist’s visual perception, taste, and manual skill, calligraphy stands apart for its symmetry, conventional techniques, and timeless aesthetic beauty. Islamic calligraphy encompasses several classical styles, known in Turkish as:
Sülüs, Reyhani, Rika, Muhakkak,Tevki.
Arabic script predates the Prophet Muhammad, and the Quran was first written in the Cufic style. Another style, Ma’tili, is entirely geometric and decorative. The six classical styles of Islamic calligraphy, known as Aklam-i Sitta, were systematized by Ibn Muqla, an Abbasid vizier in the 10th century. These styles include:

• Thuluth (Sülüs)
• Naskh (Nesih)
• Rihan (Reyhani)
• Muhakkak
• Tawqi (Tevki)
• Rika

The Ottomans expanded upon the Kufic and Aklam-i Sitta styles, introducing additional scripts that were primarily used for official purposes.

Illumination

Tezhib, meaning "gilding" in the dictionary, refers to the intricate decorative patterns and designs that adorn beautiful calligraphy in handwritten books, including Qurans and divans. It also encompasses fine ornaments created with paint.

Elegant designs crafted in a single color or multiple colors are termed "embroidery," with the artists known as nakkaş. Illumination has always been closely tied to writing, and the art form known as Tezhibkârî involves the decoration of books, plates, and pages. Male artists, called Müzehhib, design gilded lines and frame book pages, while female artists are referred to as Müzehhibe.

This exquisite craft originated in Central Asia and flourished over centuries, reaching its peak during the Anatolian Seljuk period, which produced many remarkable works. The Ottomans inherited this rich tradition from the Principalities Period and further refined it. The evolution of Turkish illumination can be traced through three main phases: Central Asian, Seljuk, and Ottoman.

Each period boasts its unique characteristics, yet the elements of illumination from these eras are deeply interconnected, reflecting a shared cultural essence. Even those with limited knowledge of the art form can appreciate how these styles relate to one another, showcasing the artistic spirit of a single nation.

Ebru

Ebru, the fascinating art of paper marbling, has a unique place in Turkey’s artistic heritage. Originating in the 15th century and recognized by UNESCO, this technique transforms ordinary paper into works of art.

Pigments are gently floated on the surface of water, then worked with combs and pens to create swirling, patterned patterns. The special piece of paper is carefully laid on the surface and the design is captured in a moment of artistic magic.

The beauty of Ebru craft lies in its spontaneity and the unpredictable nature of its designs, making each piece a unique and valuable work of art.

In conclusion, Turkish decorative arts represent an extraordinary blend of history, culture, and craftsmanship that continues to thrive today. From ceramics to calligraphy and textiles to metalwork, each branch tells a story rich with tradition and innovation.

As I celebrate one of these art forms, Turkish Tiles and Iznik Ceramics, through my online collections and workshops in Istanbul, I invite you to appreciate not only their beauty but also their significance within our shared heritage.