Star tiles
- Place of origin:
- Date:
- Artist/Maker:
- Materials and Techniques:
Earthenware, with overglaze lustre decoration
- Museum number:
- Gallery location:
Ceramics Study Galleries, Asia & Europe, room 137, case WN
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This group of star-shaped tiles combine secular and religious imagery. Here, the Mongol imperial symbol of a phoenix in flight is framed by a quotation from the Qur'an.
The invasions of Iran by pagan Mongols in the 13th century brought devastation and disruption, especially in the east. But the invasions were followed by a period of increasing prosperity, as the unification of much of Asia under Mongol rule caused a boom in international trade. One result was an increase in the influence of Chinese art on the art of Iran. This included the use of Chinese-inspired imperial symbols like the dragon and phoenix.
For a time after the Mongol conquest, secular imagery developed for palace walls was sometimes used on tiles destined for religious buildings. This was a striking departure from the usual avoidance of figural imagery in religious contexts.
Physical description
Two low fired fritware tiles with blue and copper lustre glazes in the shape of an eight-pointed star. The central field is decorated in reserve against a ground of golden-brown lustre, and has a lightly moulded design of a flying phoenix against a ground of a branching tree. Around the edge is a border inscription in large cursive script, the letters outlined in lustre on a white ground; the background to the border is painted in cobalt blue with the letters left in white.
Place of Origin
Iran (made)
Date
1275-1325 (made)
Artist/maker
unknown (production)
Materials and Techniques
Earthenware, with overglaze lustre decoration
Dimensions
Diameter: 20.5 cm, Depth: 1.8 cm, Weight: 0.6 kg
Descriptive line
Tile with a phoenix surrounded by Qur'anic verses, Iran, 1275-1325.
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Watson, O. Persian Lustre Ware, London, 1985, pp. 122 & 146, colour plate M
Komaroff, Linda, and Carboni, Stefano, (eds), The legacy of Genghis Khan, Courtly Art and Culture in Western Asia, 1256-1353, New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2002. Catalogue of the Exhibition from Nov.5, 2002 to Feb. 16, 2003. ISBN1-58839-071-3 (1-58839-071-3 pbk; 0-300-09691-7 Yale U. P.) Cat. Entry 112 p267, Fig.120
Exhibition History
The Legacy of Genghis Khan: Courtly Art and Culture in Western Asia, 1256-1353 (Los Angeles County Museum of Art 13/04/2003-27/07/2003)
The Legacy of Genghis Khan: Courtly Art and Culture in Western Asia, 1256-1353 (Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York 28/10/2002-16/02/2003)
Materials
Earthenware
Techniques
Overglazed
Subjects depicted
Phoenix; Fires
Categories
Ceramics; Tiles; Earthenware
Collection code
MES
