ILKHANID IRAN, LATE 13TH/EARLY 14TH CENTURY

The Qur'anic inscription on this tile is executed in elegant, cobalt-blue thuluth that stands out in relief against the lustre foliate ground. Its decorative style, imposing calligraphy and size indicate that it would have formed part of an architectural frieze, set above a dado of geometric, star-shaped tiles of the same style. The absence of figural details on our tile, such as birds within the foliage, suggests that it was made for a mosque or religious structure, where the strict aniconic rule applies. A number of similar tiles now form part of prominent museum collections including a particularly close example in the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco (inv.no. B60P2132). A comparable tile whose inscription comprises the following part of this Qur’anic verse was recently sold in these Rooms, 2 May 2019, lot 21. Another example sold at Sotheby’s, London, 9 April 2014, lot 2.