This is the first comprehensive survey devoted to the ceramic vessels of İznik. Among the finest works of art produced in the Ottoman Empire, these vessels were the work of artists renowned for the splendid tile revetments which adorn the monuments of İstanbul. The technical quality of this pottery and the immediacy of its designs have long made it one of the most popular ceramics from the Islamic world. The İznik ceramic industry was established and patronized by the Sultans' Court, and its successive stylistic phases reflect the major changes in Ottoman taste from the late 15th to the 17th century. Starting with the elaborate blue-and-white arabesque style of the late 15th century and gradually developing into the bold and vibrant naturalism of the second half of the 16th cen- tury, the decorative repertoire of the potters included a phase when İznik pottery was influenced by Chinese Yuan and Ming blue-and-white porcelain, of which the Ottoman Sultans have bequeathed us an outstanding collection. Based on many years of research, this study establishes for the first time a firm typology and chronology for these wares, and fully documents every distinct group. The material has been assembled from all the major public and private collections throughout the world, and reveals many hitherto unknown treasures.