Most Iznik wares were coated with a white slip, or engobe, prior to decoration, and this slip produced the predominant white background against which colored glazes stood out so dramatically. In a small number of wares, pigments were added to the slip, and the resulting backgrounds included a range of pinks, beiges, browns, and blues that were decorated with floral designs or, in this case, an abstract pattern of petals or swirling lobes, perhaps inspired by a metalwork prototype.