A rare Damascus underglaze-painted pottery water flask (matara)
Syria, 17th Centurythe bulbous round body tapering towards two short water spouts, the centre of the body indented towards a double loop handle to the upper edge, on a short foot, decorated in cobalt-blue, green and manganese with black outline on a white ground, with an asymmetrical design of floral sprays, palmettes, split-palmettes, saz leaves and cypress trees
14.5 cm. tall注脚The form of the present lot is derived from an early Ottoman leather type which was later copied in metal, glass and rock crystal. However, it is unusual to find a Damascus ceramic matara such as the present lot. A very small number of Iznik examples are known: see Hülya Bilgi, Iznik: The Ömer Koç Collection, 2015, pp. 432-433 and Sotheby's, Arts of the Islamic World, April 2016, lot 85.