Tile thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ceramics, Room 137, The Curtain Foundation Gallery

Tile

early 14th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Tile in the shape of an eight-pointed star, fritware. The central field is decorated in reserve against a ground of golden-brown lustre. A large cactus-like plant with three blade-like leaves fills the vertical axis. On either side of the central stem are two bouquets of flowers and leaves, and in the bottom corners underneath the lateral stems are very elegant palmettes with a curling tip. There are four small dabs of turquoise pigment, at the top right and left and bottom right and left of centre. Around the edge is a border inscription in cursive script, in lustre on a white ground, and outlined at top and bottom with cobalt blue lines. The script and painting of the decoration are very good quality.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Fritware with lustre decoration
Brief description
Tile, fritware with lustre decoration, Iran (Kashan), early 14th century
Physical description
Tile in the shape of an eight-pointed star, fritware. The central field is decorated in reserve against a ground of golden-brown lustre. A large cactus-like plant with three blade-like leaves fills the vertical axis. On either side of the central stem are two bouquets of flowers and leaves, and in the bottom corners underneath the lateral stems are very elegant palmettes with a curling tip. There are four small dabs of turquoise pigment, at the top right and left and bottom right and left of centre. Around the edge is a border inscription in cursive script, in lustre on a white ground, and outlined at top and bottom with cobalt blue lines. The script and painting of the decoration are very good quality.
Dimensions
  • Height: 21.1cm
  • Width: 20.8cm
  • Depth: 1.4cm
Marks and inscriptions
يا ايها الذين امنوا اذا نودي للصلاة من يوم الجمعة فاسعوا الى ذكر الله وذروا البيع ذلكم خير لكم ان كنتم تعلمون فاذا قضيت الصلاة فانتشروا في الارض وابتغوا من فضل الله واذكروا الله كثيرا لعلكم تفلحون واذا راوا تجارة او لهوا انفضوا اليها (Qur’anic inscription part of surah 62, verses 9 to 11)
Object history
Murdoch Smith acquired this piece for the Museum from the Richard Collection
Production
Inventory record
Subjects depicted
Bibliographic reference
Moya Carey, Persian Art. Collecting the Arts of Iran for the V&A, London, 2017, p.98.
Collection
Accession number
1073-1875

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Record createdMay 29, 2002
Record URL
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