Lot 68A
Ancient Near East, Il-Khanid period, ca. 1256 to 1353 CE. A magnificent polychrome ceramic vessel in the form of a harpy - a fantastic human-headed bird known from ancient Greece, India, as well as the Middle East that was a popular motif throughout the Muslim world. The harpy is delineated with a finely modeled and painted humanoid face topped by a headdress. Black curvilinear outlines delineate the harpy's wings, face, chest, and headdress; while beautiful circular motifs of cobalt blue and jade green hues detail its plumage. The Il-Khanid harpy was likely drawn from pre-Islamic sources - associated with the Greek harpies thought to be spirits of the wind and to possess generally threatening qualities as well as the Indian Garuda's great intelligence and magical ability to grow quite large or quite small, as well as to appear and disappear. Size: 7.75" L x 5.2" W x 9.55" H (19.7 cm x 13.2 cm x 24.3 cm)
Islamic art flourished under the reign of Il-Khan Mahmud Ghazan (r. 12951304). The Persian-Islamic aesthetic also adopted East Asian influences to create a new artistic vocabulary that was admired by many cultures from Anatolia to India. In addition to pottery, jewelry, metalwork, textiles, and illuminated manuscripts evolved greatly along already established lines during th Il-Khanid period.
See a similar harpy vessel, albeit a bit larger, in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (accession number 57.51.1).
Provenance: private California, USA collection, acquired 1990s to 2000
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#155863
- Condition: Expertly repaired and restored from multiple pieces. This piece is almost entirely comprised of original material and original pigment on the exterior aside from one leg and the upper tip of the tail. Repairs are visible, though difficult to see, on interior of neck. Excellent craquelure on surface with light pitting, small chips, nicks, and deposits in lower profile areas.
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