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Between 1882 and 1900 De Morgan created decorative tiles on a commission from P&O for 12 new liners. The tiles ranged from simple scrolls, such as this Blue Peony done for the liner Arabia to full murals showing exotic landscapes and Ports of Call the liners would visit through the Middle East.
The blue peony tile shows De Morgan's 'Persian' period. Colors he called a Persian palette include turquoise, dark blue, manganese purple, a yellow green, Indian red, and lemon yellow. Blue Peony was designed as a commission for the P&O Liner Arabia, in 1886.
Both Morris and De Morgan had a strong interest in the Persian tiles, that we correctly call Iznak today, after the town in Turkey with a long heritage of making tile. In Victorian England, true Iznak tiles were difficult to come by, but the more provincial Damascus tiles were readily available.
This tile is reprsentative of Persian influence in De Morgan's Persian era. The fan-shaped flowers are traditional Persian themes. You can find information about De Morgan and his methods are in the articles, De Morgan Arts and Crafts and Morris and Co. Tile Making Process.