ISFAHAN, IRAN, 17TH CENTURY

This tile, and that of the following lot, relate to a group which appear to have been produced by the same artist or workshop in the 17th century. In the catalogue entry accompanying a related tile in Louvre, Sophie Makariou refers to the artist as the ‘Master of Figures’ (Paris, 2008, pp.406-407, no.156). In tiles of this group, the figures all very distinctive – Makariou describes the pursed mouth, rounded nose, elongated eyes and black curls. The quality of the brushwork and the great skill with which the glaze is applied are also notable. Tiles of this group have sold at Christie’s, South Kensington, 14 October 2005, lots 1 to 4 and more recently Christie’s, London, 9 October 2014, lot 39.