A KASHAN MOULDED COPPER LUSTRE AND COBALT BLUE CALLIGRAPHIC POTTERY TILE
Kashan, Ilkhanid Iran, late 13th - 14th century

Of rectangular shape, with a moulded Quranic inscription in relief in cobalt blue thuluth script, on a dense copper lustre-painted foliated ground with a scrolling turquoise vegetal spray in relief, the calligraphy framed within two decorative borders, a beaded band at the bottom and a frieze of intertwined arabesques and split palmettes at the top, 39.5cm x 23.5cm.

Inscription: Sura al-Baqarah (2), v. 155 (with part of the basmala)

Our calligraphic tile shares several stylistic and decorative features of another similar sold at Christie's London, 2 May 2019, lot 21. Both tiles present large and bold thuluth Quranic inscriptions painted in cobalt blue and their lack of figural decoration in the form of birds, often featured on similar Ilkhanid pottery tiles, is indicative of their use for a mosque, religious structure or commemorative burial ground, where stricter aniconic rules would apply.

Sotheby's London also offered and successfully sold a number of similar Ilkhanid pottery calligraphic panels moulded in relief in their auction on 9th April 2014 (lots 1 - 6, except 5). In particular, lot 6 features an interesting pseudo-Kufic calligraphic frieze at the top of the tile fragment, possibly repeating the Arabic word al-‘izz (glory). The band shares the same style and design as our frieze, the only main difference being the vegetal element, instead of the pseudo-calligraphy.

*Accompanied by an Oxford Thermoluminescence Analysis Report #N121k41, confirming the age of the last firing and period of manufacture.