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Lot Essay
This is an important example of a Central Asian type of carved tile panel originally used for the decoration of architectural exteriors. The panel relates very closely to a group of tiles in the Victoria and Albert Museum (Porter, V.: Islamic Tiles, London, 1995, pp.65-72 and Lane, A.: A Guide to the Collection of Tiles, London, 1960, pp.8-9, pl.6.) which originate from the Shah-i Zindah, in Samarkand and the tomb of Buyan Kuli Khan (d. 1358) in Bukhara. A fragment from Buyan Quli Khan's tomb was sold in these rooms as lot 322, October 15th 1996.
The tiles from Samarkand and Bukhara similarily consist of foliate designs cut deeply into the surface of the tile and set into geometric cartouches. The principal colours used were rich turquoise blue, with darker manganese grounds and white outlines. The more striking tiles, however, have the addition of a deep, rich aubergine purple which can be seen in the border bands of our example. The Samarkand tiles (nos. 574-1900 and 1283-1893) in the Victoria and Albert Museum have the same use of purple glaze. Nos.574-1900, a frieze of eight tiles, is said to have come from the Shah-i Zindah. One of the earliest examples in the Victoria and Albert Museum is dated AH 722/1322 AD, and attributed to a mosque in the Shah-i Zindah. The necropolis of the Shah-i Zindah consists largely of single-chamber tombs on the mound of Afrasiyab to the north of Samarquand. Its foundation was associated with a cult figure called Qusab b. 'Abbas, and the earliest monuments date from the 11th century. The carved and glazed tile technique is particularly evident on a series of tombs built between 1370 and 1405 for the Timurid aristocracy, the finest example being the tomb of Shad-i Mulk Aga (1371-83). The only known example of this technique outside Central Asia is to be found on a late 14th century cenotaph at Fusanj near Herat. The similar foliate design and usage of colour, especially the more unusual purple glaze, relates our panel closely to the tiles from Samarkand. This highly attractive technique predates the Timurid conquest but disappears shortly after the close of the 14th century probably with the advent of tile mosaic decoration. Related deeply carved tiles are published in Grube E.J.: Islamic Pottery of the Eighth to the Fifteenth Century in the Keir Collection, London, 1976, pp.301-303, no.36; Terres secrètes de Samarcande Ceramiques du VIIIe au XIIIe Siecle, exhibition catalogue, Paris, 1992, p.108, no.244; and in Roux, J.: L'Islam dans les collections nationales, Paris, 1977, p.248, no. 579. A closely related larger tile panel was offered in these Rooms, 11 April 2000, lot 246.
The tiles from Samarkand and Bukhara similarily consist of foliate designs cut deeply into the surface of the tile and set into geometric cartouches. The principal colours used were rich turquoise blue, with darker manganese grounds and white outlines. The more striking tiles, however, have the addition of a deep, rich aubergine purple which can be seen in the border bands of our example. The Samarkand tiles (nos. 574-1900 and 1283-1893) in the Victoria and Albert Museum have the same use of purple glaze. Nos.574-1900, a frieze of eight tiles, is said to have come from the Shah-i Zindah. One of the earliest examples in the Victoria and Albert Museum is dated AH 722/1322 AD, and attributed to a mosque in the Shah-i Zindah. The necropolis of the Shah-i Zindah consists largely of single-chamber tombs on the mound of Afrasiyab to the north of Samarquand. Its foundation was associated with a cult figure called Qusab b. 'Abbas, and the earliest monuments date from the 11th century. The carved and glazed tile technique is particularly evident on a series of tombs built between 1370 and 1405 for the Timurid aristocracy, the finest example being the tomb of Shad-i Mulk Aga (1371-83). The only known example of this technique outside Central Asia is to be found on a late 14th century cenotaph at Fusanj near Herat. The similar foliate design and usage of colour, especially the more unusual purple glaze, relates our panel closely to the tiles from Samarkand. This highly attractive technique predates the Timurid conquest but disappears shortly after the close of the 14th century probably with the advent of tile mosaic decoration. Related deeply carved tiles are published in Grube E.J.: Islamic Pottery of the Eighth to the Fifteenth Century in the Keir Collection, London, 1976, pp.301-303, no.36; Terres secrètes de Samarcande Ceramiques du VIIIe au XIIIe Siecle, exhibition catalogue, Paris, 1992, p.108, no.244; and in Roux, J.: L'Islam dans les collections nationales, Paris, 1977, p.248, no. 579. A closely related larger tile panel was offered in these Rooms, 11 April 2000, lot 246.