Medieval Near East, Persia (Iran), Nishapur area, ca. late 10th to early 13th century CE. A wheel-thrown pottery jar of a tall form. The inverted piriform body rests upon a squat, flared foot, has a rounded shoulder, and a petite rim surmounting the thin neck. Both the interior and exterior surfaces are enveloped with highly iridescent glaze of lustrous turquoise hues, and across the exterior are black fineline motifs interspersed with stippled and spotted patterns that create an eye-catching presentation. Size: 8" W x 8.6" H (20.3 cm x 21.8 cm)
Nishapur was a center of politics and culture in medieval Persia, and their pottery is some of the most unique and beautiful in history. These turquoise items are the result of technological innovation at the end of the 10th century. The body of this bowl and others of its style is made of finely ground quartz mixed with clay; this created a white surface on which the artists could paint designs directly. The glaze is alkaline, with a copper base to give it its color, and would be poured over the clay. Manganese was used to create the underglaze design. These pieces may have been inspired by the blue and white glazed pottery that travelled the Silk Road from Tang Dynasty China, but the end result here is clearly not just an imitation, but an entirely different, radical style developed in Nishapur.
Provenance: private San Marino, California, USA collection; ex-private estate collection, Los Angeles, California, USA, acquired in the 1970s
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#159601
Condition
Chips to foot and rim, with encrustations along interior and exterior surfaces, and fading to areas of glaze, otherwise intact and excellent. Great preservation to glaze pigment, stunning iridescence, and lovely craquelure throughout.