Lot 34
Ancient Near East / Western Asia, Persia (Iran), Nishapur or Kashan, ca. late 10th century to early 13th century CE. An incredible mold-made ceramic pitcher with a piriform body, a corseted, flanged neck, and a slightly flared mouth with unpronounced rim. A conjoined strap handle joins the rim to the lower body. Much of the body - aside from the small disc foot and a little area above it - is coated in thick, brilliant turquoise glaze that has formed thick drops around its lower edge. Thick black frets encircle the rim while thick black lines emerge from the neckline and reach almost to the bottom tip of the glaze, creating a bold decorative program. Size: 5" W x 6.6" H (12.7 cm x 16.8 cm)
Nishapur was a center of politics and culture in medieval Persia, and their pottery is some of the most unique and beautiful we see from this time period. Turquoise pieces like this example are the result of technological innovation at the end of the 10th century. The body of this vessel was made of finely ground quartz mixed with clay; this created a white surface upon which the artists could pour colorful glaze and sometimes paint additional designs. The glaze is alkaline, with a copper base to give it its stunning color, and would have been poured over the clay. Manganese creates the black accents visible in some areas of the surface. Scholars believe that such Nishapur pieces may have been inspired by the blue and white glazed pottery that travelled the Silk Road from Tang Dynasty China; however, the end result was clearly not just an imitation, but rather an entirely different, radical style that developed in Nishapur.
Provenance: private California, USA collection, by descent, moved from Germany in 1997, originally collected in the 1970s in Hamburg, Germany
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#155954
- Condition: Rim is repaired on one side; otherwise in fine condition, with great craquelure on surface and light deposits. Small chips, nicks, and scratches commensurate with age including some tiny losses to the glaze. Faint iridescence on surface.
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