Kashan Lustre Bowl, 12th Century CE - 13th Century CE
Fritware
6.42 x 3.15
ADC.54
The interior decorated with two confronting moon-faced figures, one holding a tambourine, surrounded by a band of naskh inscription and a broad outer band of stylised reserved kufic. The bowl...
The interior decorated with two confronting moon-faced figures, one holding a tambourine, surrounded by a band of naskh inscription and a broad outer band of stylised reserved kufic. The bowl of rounded form on a short vertical foot. Repaired breaks and minor areas of repainting. Bowl, lustre-painted ware. Composite white fritware deecorated with yellowish-brown lustre. Round sides and everted rim. At the base there is a young seated couple, probably they are musicians sice the lady on the left is holding an object, which could be a tambourine, whole the male figure to the right may have an ’ud; scrollwork around the entire base is surrounded by a cursive, somewhat damaged inscription; pseudo-Kficinscription runs around the rim. Iran, probably Kashan, late 12th – early 13th century.
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 probably made. With this technique potters first made a white glazed vessel with little or no decoration, then, when the piece had cooled, they painted a design over the glaze in metallic compounds of silver and copper. The piece was then fired again, this time with a restricted supply of oxygen thus creating reducing conditions. In these conditions, the metallic compounds broke down, and a thin deposit of copper or silver was left on the surface of the glaze creating this precious luminous effect on the surface of the vessel. The luster technique was very difficult to control and required very advanced technical skills, its first makers having inherited knowledge from glass workers who were using the oxides of silver and copper to paint glass. This technical knowledge of glass decoration was probably transferred to potters, with the discovery that lustre can also form on a receptive ceramic glaze.
Ht. 7cm; Top diam. 1cm; Base diam. 7cm.
Comparative material: similar young couple is depicted on a large dish which is in the University Museumof Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, dated Safar 608AD/July 1211AD and on a similar dish in theMetropolitan Museum of Art, New York, cf. Oliver Watson, Persian Lustre Ware, London, 1985, fig.64-65, pp.92-93.
Prof.Geza Fehervar Prof. Geoffrey King
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 probably made. With this technique potters first made a white glazed vessel with little or no decoration, then, when the piece had cooled, they painted a design over the glaze in metallic compounds of silver and copper. The piece was then fired again, this time with a restricted supply of oxygen thus creating reducing conditions. In these conditions, the metallic compounds broke down, and a thin deposit of copper or silver was left on the surface of the glaze creating this precious luminous effect on the surface of the vessel. The luster technique was very difficult to control and required very advanced technical skills, its first makers having inherited knowledge from glass workers who were using the oxides of silver and copper to paint glass. This technical knowledge of glass decoration was probably transferred to potters, with the discovery that lustre can also form on a receptive ceramic glaze.
Ht. 7cm; Top diam. 1cm; Base diam. 7cm.
Comparative material: similar young couple is depicted on a large dish which is in the University Museumof Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, dated Safar 608AD/July 1211AD and on a similar dish in theMetropolitan Museum of Art, New York, cf. Oliver Watson, Persian Lustre Ware, London, 1985, fig.64-65, pp.92-93.
Prof.Geza Fehervar Prof. Geoffrey King