Large ceramic dish decorated with a vase and flower spray in the Kraak style

Large ceramic dish painted in two blues. The decoration consists of eight S-stems on the flange, central floret and leaves, surrounding a plain gadrooned well. An eight-bracket Kraak frame encloses the centre. To the left an almost complete vase with roots holds a cluster of leaves from which emerges an impressive flower spray which bends to the right to encircle two birds in flight. A lower mound with tufts of grass blades completes the scene. The large flowers and flaming leaves are at times surrounded by small dots. Four S-stems with a central lotus leaf and smaller leaves decorate the outside. There are three tassel marks.

Historical significance: In the Safavid period moulded patterns in the undecorated white part of dishes in the Kraak style, exemplified by this dish, began to appear.

Large decorated blue and white dishes formed a large part of Persian production for the European export market. In the Safavid period moulded patterns appear on the undecorated white part of dishes in the Kraak style. Because of the awkward consistency of a Persian stonepaste body most dishes would have had to be made with the use of a mould. Patterns were then carved inside the mould.These patterns adapted freehand to suit Persian taste either decorate the well of a dish or more often both well and flange. Painting in the centre uses Kraak themes such as fantastic animals and birds, vases, lake scenes and figures in bucolic contexts.

This is a large ceramic dish, with moulded bottom and painted decoration in two blues. Made for the European export market, it is typical of a large number of dishes produced by Persian potters in Iran. The central decoration features an almost complete vase with roots which holds a cluster of leaves from which emerges an impressive flower spray which bends to the rights to encircle two birds in flight. These features illustrate the originality of Persian decoration.

1154-1876