Ancient Near East / Western Asia, Persia (Iran), Nishapur or Kashan, ca. late 10th century to early 13th century CE. An incredible mold-made ceramic jar with a tall profile that tapers to a narrow, disc-shaped foot, the only unglazed part of the exterior body. The body is roughly hexagonal, with vertical ribbing on its lower half. Thin narrow incised bands create a waist, with a beautifully decorated shoulder and narrow neck above this. The rim flares outward, painted with trailing black pigment that stands out against the gorgeous blue turquoise glaze of the rest of the vessel. Size: 4.4" W x 8" H (11.2 cm x 20.3 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 be 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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#155942
Condition
Intact, with a few tiny chips and nicks commensurate with age, notably one on the foot and another on the rim. Excellent craquelure and deposits on the surface.