Iznik Tile, Turkey, Second half of the 16th century, 22.6cm high, 19.9cm wide © Amir Mohtashemi Ltd.

This polychrome tile is painted with a large bole red, cobalt blue and green lotus blossom together with a green and red saz leaf, a small serrated leaf and half-flower heads with a large cobalt blue palmette border. The bottom left hand corner is decorated with cobalt blue, white and green scrolling clouds on a bole red ground.

The tile would have been a part of a larger composition. Two pairs of Iznik tiles in The Victoria and Albert Museum, London, dated to circa 1550-1600, Accession Numbers 189:29-1881 and 189:30-1881, depict similar shades of green, bole red, and cobalt blue with split palmette decoration with saz leaves and large lotus blossoms.