Description
This extremely rare monumental close pair of anthropomorphic white and green underglaze polychromed Canakkale pottery water jugs, the jug tops are beautifully made in the form of stylised bird heads.
Each Ewer is of a bulbous body form with a long neck, the top of each ewer is shaped as a stylised bird’s head with a very unusual spout that is formed as a large wide-open bird’s beak.
A hollow triangular shape opens at the back of each bird head, which allows the liquid to be filled into the ceramic ewer.
There are several of three-dimensional applied decorations attached to the ewer’s body.
Eyes-like rosettes in reliefs are fixed on both sides of the bird’s heads.
The white coloured ewer’s tops is mounted with two twisted braid-shaped reliefs springing up from the floral rosettes joined at the top forming the bird crown or cockscomb like motif.
The green coloured ewer’s top is decorated with a pair of spiral curves.
Each ewer is provided with a single curved handle attached to the back.
The front neck and body of each ewer is also decorated with very elegant additional applied rosettes.
At the central part of each ewer’s front an additional blossoming plant is emerging from a plant pot or an urn whereas an elegant exotic bird is standing on top.
Both ceramic ewers are made of red earthenware, the white coloured ewer is all over washed with white slip (including the base) with splashes of green, whereas the green ewer is only painted with green coloured glaze.
Both ewers contain additional over the glaze gold painted decoration depicting beautiful wreaths.