19 A R A B E S Q U E S A N D C LO U D B A N D S Iran (Safavid), 17th century Height: 21.4 cm Width: 21.5 cm
A tile in the cuerda seca technique with a design of scrolling floral arabesques, saz leaves and cloud bands in white, black, blue, turquoise and yellow against an unusual bicoloured ground of apple green to the left and cobalt blue to the right. A bold, sharply curved arabesque in white with a split-leaf palmette to the top and small tightly scrolled flower buds below divides the two sections of the design. To the top right corner of the tile against the cobalt blue ground is a stylised composite flower with cusped white and black petals, the outlines of which resemble luxuriant pomegranates. Superimposed on this flower is a six-petalled flower with yellow roundels to each petal and a cusped turquoise centre. Scrolling down from this flower is a gently curving vine from which sprout a cluster of bi-coloured leaves in black
and white with a turquoise flower in their midst. Scrolling on a sinuous curve towards the centre of the tile before re-curving towards the lower right corner is a chinoiserie cloud band in yellow, with a small white cloud band dancing in attendance to the centre. To the lower left corner against the green ground is another cloud band in yellow from which scrolls a vine that divides into two, with a short sprig curving down and terminating in a black serrated saz leaf. A longer spray curves up across the tile, penetrating the bold arabesque that divides the design, curving up across the blue ground towards the top centre where it terminates in a white serrated saz leaf decorated with two turquoise dots. From behind the saz leaf emerges a flower with a turquoise centre and white petals decorated with black dots. Another black serrated saz leaf with a white dot in reserve can be seen to the left edge of the tile on the green ground. Scrolling across both the blue and green grounds like a swag to the top of the tile and connecting the flower in the upper right corner with the upper left corner of the tile is a gently curving vine with splayed leaves. Scattered single buds and leaves further ornament the rich surface of the design.
