Iznik Ceramic on the occasion of the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, brought the city’s multilayered historical and cultural heritage — from ancient Nicaea to the present day — back to the world’s attention.
As part of this special visit, three handmade Iznik ceramic panels presented to Pope Leo XIV were prepared and delivered by Iznik Mavi Çini for official state protocol. One of the panels was inspired by the “Good Shepherd” fresco, also known in Turkish as “Çoban İsa,” discovered in the Hisardere Necropolis in Iznik and recognized as an important example of early Christian iconography. The other two panels interpreted Iznik’s urban memory, olive trees, peacocks, and traditional ornamental language through the art of ceramics.
Produced using the traditional underglaze technique, these special panels represent not only Iznik’s place in Ottoman ceramic art, but also the city’s cultural continuity from antiquity to the present day. As Iznik Mavi Çini, we are honored to have prepared works that represent our city’s historical and artistic heritage in such a meaningful protocol context.
