CENTRAL IRAN, 13TH CENTURY

This is a rare example of a large-scale lustre tile. Although there has been some restoration, the drawing on the original elements including most of the horses and their riders, are very well-controlled. Figural lustre on this scale, is rare. Although numerous smaller tiles survive from this period of lustre production, there are few on this grand scale, which allows for a real strength of design. One, decorated with numerous figures, is in the Keir Collection, currently on view in the Dallas Museum of Art (K.1.2014.98; published Ernst J. Grube, Islamic Pottery of the Eighth to the Fifteenth Century in the Keir Collection, London, 1976, no.183). The motif of a mounted horseman was a common one on lustre tiles of the period, see for example a fine tile in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston signed by Abu Zaid, and dated Rabi’ II AH 608/September 1211 AD ((07.903; published Oliver Watson, Persian Lustre Ware, London, 1985, p.129, no.106). A very large Ilkhanid lustre dish, similarly decorated, sold in these Rooms, 27 October 2022, lot 39.