A TIMURID MOULDED LUSTRE AND BLUE LARGE TILE of rectangular form, the ground worked in relief and painted in lustre with bold scrolling arabesques overlaid with three blue strands supporting a stylised mosque lamp with trefoil terminal, in a lustre border of blue naskh inscription, a small lustre inscription band below, 15th century (repaired break), framed

Details
A TIMURID MOULDED LUSTRE AND BLUE LARGE TILE of rectangular form, the ground worked in relief and painted in lustre with bold scrolling arabesques overlaid with three blue strands supporting a stylised mosque lamp with trefoil terminal, in a lustre border of blue naskh inscription, a small lustre inscription band below, 15th century (repaired break), framed
21 1/8 x 15 3/8in. (53.7 x 39.1cm.)

Lot Essay

The inscriptions, unusually, have half the complete text of the throne verse from the Qur'an, starting with the right hand band, then, after a gap in the text, continuing down the left hand and finishing in the small lower inscription.
The slightly weak drawing of this tile, together with the poor firing in places of the lustre, indicate that this was made after the period of peak production in Kashan, although the design relates very clearly to it.
The design and the gap in the text make it clear that this was the lower part of a two-tile panel, the upper of which would have completed the composition.

More from Islamic

View All
View All