Page 9 - 2021 April 1, ART OF THE ISLAMIC AND Indian Worlds Including Oriental Rugs, Christie's London

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A KASHAN MOULDED LUSTRE AND COBALT-BLUE
CALLIGRAPHIC POTTERY TILE
ILKHANID IRAN, LATE 13TH/EARLY 14TH CENTURY The Qur'anic inscription on this tile is executed in elegant, cobalt-blue thuluth
Moulded with a bold cobalt-blue inscription in thuluth on dense scrolling that stands out in relief against the lustre foliate ground. Its decorative style,
foliate lustre ground, framed imposing calligraphy and size indicate that it would have formed part of an
16 x 1Ω x 7Ω (40.5 x 4 x 19.5cm). without frame architectural frieze, set above a dado of geometric, star-shaped tiles of the
same style. The absence of figural details on our tile, such as birds within
£25,000-30,000 US$36,000-42,000
the foliage, suggests that it was made for a mosque or religious structure,
€29,000-35,000
where the strict aniconic rule applies. A number of similar tiles now form part
PROVENANCE: of prominent museum collections including a particularly close example in
Kunsthaus am Museum, Van-Ham Kunstauktionen, Cologne, Auction 49a,
the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco (inv.no. B60P2132). A comparable tile
23 November 1971, lot 439, to current owner
whose inscription comprises the following part of this Qur’anic verse was
recently sold in these Rooms, 2 May 2019, lot 21. Another example sold at
INSCRIPTIONS:
Qur'an LXXVI, sura al-insan, last word of v.9 - beginning of v.10 Sotheby’s, London, 9 April 2014, lot 2.

In addition to the hammer price, a Buyer’s Premium (plus VAT) is payable. Other taxes and/or an Artist Resale Royalty 7
fee are also payable if the lot has a tax or λ symbol. Check Section D of the Conditions of Sale at the back of this catalogue.