NORTH IRAN, 17TH CENTURY

The elegant figures decorating this tiles and that of the following lot wear head-dresses in fashion under the reign of Shah ‘Abbas I (r. 1588-1629). Although the style in which they are depicted seems indebted to the Iranian manuscript painting tradition, their subject is represented in a bold and innovative manner. Unlike earlier Persian portraits, which depicted their subjects in full, these tiles portray the youths from the bust up. This peculiar decorative choice suggests a European influence (Istanbul, 2008, pp.216-17). These tiles belong to a distinct group of ceramics known as Kubachi wares, named after a remote Daghestani village where many examples were found. Such wares were used to decorate villagers’ houses towards the end of the nineteenth century. A figural Kubachi dish sold at Christie’s, London, 7 April 2011, lot 140. Smaller saucers sold more recently, Christie’s, London, 26 October 2017, lot 97.