Hatayi (stylised flower)
A stylised flower of Central Asian origin, drawn from the vertical section of a flower.
What does it mean?
Hatayi is a flower motif formed by highly stylising the stems, leaves and flowers of various plants; it is often simplified so much that it is impossible to tell which flower inspired it [1][2]. It takes its name from Hata, Hatay and Hıtay, old names of East Turkestan; its earliest examples are seen in 8th- and 9th-century Uyghur wall paintings, and the motif reached Anatolia by way of Iran [1][2]. Drawn plain and small in the Seljuk and Beylik periods, hatayi reached its large and showy form in 16th-century Ottoman art, above all in İznik tiles [1][2]. Hatayis drawn from the side, from a vertical section of the flower, are called “yönlü hatayi” (directional hatayi); by their appearance they are grouped as peony, pomegranate blossom and lettuce flower. The most used is the peony: in its centre is a seed pod called “meşime” [1].
Related plants
- Pomegranate: One type of directional hatayi is called “pomegranate blossom”.
Same theme
Sources
Drawing: Bitki Tabanı, interpreted from the traditional motif.