Most people know Damascus for its mosaic. Fewer know qishani, the Damascene craft of hand-painted glazed ceramic tile. It is a quieter craft and a rarer one, and the Jasmine Qishani Tray shows what it looks like in a finished piece.
What is qishani?
Qishani is a Damascene craft in which ceramic tiles are painted by hand and fired to a glossy glaze. The colors the craft is known for are cobalt blue, turquoise and green. The name comes from Kashan in Persia, and the craft has been made in Damascus since the 16th century. Painted tiles made in Damascus in the 16th and 17th centuries are held in museum collections today.
Who still makes it?
Only a handful of workshops in Damascus still practice qishani today, which makes a piece like this one rare. The Jasmine tray was made by hand in Damascus by the Al-Roumani workshop.
What is the Jasmine Qishani Tray?
It is a rectangular tray made of walnut wood, set with two hand-painted glazed ceramic tiles and fitted with a handle at each end. It measures 38 × 20 × 7 cm (15.0 × 7.9 × 2.8 in) and weighs 1.05 kg (2.3 lb). Every tile is painted by hand, so the piece is one of a kind. The walnut frames the tiles, and the cobalt, turquoise and green of the glaze stand out against it.
How do you use a qishani tray?
Use it for serving, or keep it on display as a decorative piece. In our photograph it sits on marble with a brass coffee pot and four gold cups.
How is qishani different from Damascene mosaic?
Both are Damascene crafts made by hand, but the materials are different. Damascene mosaic is built from small pieces of wood and mother-of-pearl, cut and set into a pattern. Qishani is painted, glazed ceramic. On the Jasmine tray the two crafts meet: walnut wood holds the painted tile. To see how the mosaic craft works, read our guide to what Damascene mosaic is.
You can see the Jasmine tray and other pieces for the home in our Home Décor collection. Qishani trays are one of a kind, so what is available changes.