Dish
1180-1220 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
A round-faced figure raises a toast to his companion in the charming scene at the centre of this dish. Such compositions were common at the time it was made. They reflect a culture of sociable gatherings that we can only reconstruct at a distance
The decoration shows how Iranian potters used lustre only for outlines, details and backgrounds. The main motifs were left in white against a lustre ground.
The technique of lustre decoration on ceramics was first developed in Iraq in the 9th century. About 1170, the lustre technique was taken from Syria to the city of Kashan in Iran, where this piece was made.
With this technique potters first made a glazed vessel or tile with little or no decoration in the normal way. When the piece had cooled, they painted a design over the glaze in metallic compounds. The pot or tile was then fired again, this time with a restricted supply of oxygen. In these conditions, the metallic compounds broke down, and a thin deposit of copper or silver was left on the surface of the glaze. When polished, this surface layer reflected the light.
The decoration shows how Iranian potters used lustre only for outlines, details and backgrounds. The main motifs were left in white against a lustre ground.
The technique of lustre decoration on ceramics was first developed in Iraq in the 9th century. About 1170, the lustre technique was taken from Syria to the city of Kashan in Iran, where this piece was made.
With this technique potters first made a glazed vessel or tile with little or no decoration in the normal way. When the piece had cooled, they painted a design over the glaze in metallic compounds. The pot or tile was then fired again, this time with a restricted supply of oxygen. In these conditions, the metallic compounds broke down, and a thin deposit of copper or silver was left on the surface of the glaze. When polished, this surface layer reflected the light.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Fritware with lustre decoration |
| Brief description | Lustre dish with seated figure raising a toast to another, surrounded by two inscription bands, Iran (Kashan), early 13th century. |
| Physical description | Fritware dish decorated in lustre, with a pair of seated figures raising a toast to another on either side of a small tree in which sit two birds; the dish has a double border with bands of inscriptions in cursive script. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Gallery label | DISH
Earthenware painted in lustre.
Found at Jurjan.
PERSIAN (Kshan); early 13th century.
Given by Mr. C. N. Ades MBE in memory of his wife, Andree Ades.
[Old Islamic gallery label](Used until 03/2004) |
| Credit line | Given by Mr C. N. Ades MBE in memory of his wife Andrée Ades |
| Object history | This vessel was part of a hoard that was deliberately buried by its owner, probably a merchant who lived in Jurjan in north-east Iran, or who was passing through the city. In 1220, Jurjan was threatened by a Mongol invasion. The merchant packed the vessels in sand inside large storage jars and buried them for safekeeping. Soon afterwards, Jurjan was completely destroyed by the Mongols, and the owner never returned to recover the hoard.As a result, the vessels in this hoard survived together for almost 800 years, and in relatively good condition. The probable date of their burial also gives us a good indication of when the vessels in the hoard were made, as well as showing the wide variety of types of decoration that were used to make Iranian pottery at this time. Clement Ades gave a large number of objects found in the Jurjan hoard to the Victoria and Albert Museum at different times. Their object numbers are C.152 to 171-1977, and C.35 to 49-1978. |
| Production | Probably Kashan |
| Summary | A round-faced figure raises a toast to his companion in the charming scene at the centre of this dish. Such compositions were common at the time it was made. They reflect a culture of sociable gatherings that we can only reconstruct at a distance The decoration shows how Iranian potters used lustre only for outlines, details and backgrounds. The main motifs were left in white against a lustre ground. The technique of lustre decoration on ceramics was first developed in Iraq in the 9th century. About 1170, the lustre technique was taken from Syria to the city of Kashan in Iran, where this piece was made. With this technique potters first made a glazed vessel or tile with little or no decoration in the normal way. When the piece had cooled, they painted a design over the glaze in metallic compounds. The pot or tile was then fired again, this time with a restricted supply of oxygen. In these conditions, the metallic compounds broke down, and a thin deposit of copper or silver was left on the surface of the glaze. When polished, this surface layer reflected the light. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.163-1977 |
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| Record created | November 19, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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