Lot 78A
Near East, Iran, Samanid Dynasty, Nishapur or Samarqand, ca. 10th century CE. A charming calligraphic pottery vase with a white glaze and red and green Arabic motifs around the exterior. The vase itself has a piriform shape and stands on a low, unglazed foot. Its neck flares outward into a wide mouth; the handle travels from the shoulder of the vessel to the upper part of its neck and is painted with apple-green leaf motifs. Between the lines of Arabic, around the lower part of the neck, is a repeated motif of green rings with red, sun-like circles inside them. Size: 7" L x 5.5" W x 7.35" H (17.8 cm x 14 cm x 18.7 cm)
Samanid potters invented slip-painted ware, achieving a wonderful clarity of design. They used a white englobe (a thin slip wash) to cover red earthenware and then painted inscriptions and iconography in darker pigments mixed with slip. Adding slip to the pigment prevented it from running. The inscriptions on bowls like this one are Arabic proverbs - in fact, some of the first extant examples that appear in the Islamic world. Each inscription is read by turning the bowl counterclockwise. Some of these inscriptions are a hadith of the Prophet Muhammad, and others are referencing social codes from the Samanids, who deeply valued hospitality and generosity.
Provenance: private Orange County, California, USA collection acquired before 2000
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#121908
- Condition: Repaired from multiple pieces, with small losses along the lines of some of the repairs. The rim has several small chips to the glaze. Slight discoloration of glaze where the neck meets the body. Fine craquelure on the glaze.
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