IRAN

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fRAgMenT of A seljuK jAR, Habb

Iran Seljuk period 12th - 13th century Terracotta Height: 26 cm Width: 31 cm Depth: 17 cm Provenance: Formerly in a private French collection, acquired in the 1960’s Price: 15.000 euros

ObjeCt PReSenteD by:

Alexis Renard T.: + 33 1 44 07 33 02 E.: alexis@alexisrenard.com W: www.alexisrenard.com This beautiful fragment comes from the shoulder of a large water jug, or habb, dating back to the Seljuk Empire. These unglazed terracotta jars kept water relatively cool.

The habbs that have survived to this day vary in their degree of decoration; this fragment features a very elaborate design. In the centre, a crowned female bust sits between two arched sections, separated by friezes of foliage and small flowers. The treatment of the head is in line with the standards of beauty of its time, with arched eyebrows and a round face. On either side of this central figure are various real and mythological animals, nestled in the arches outlined by the friezes. On the left, a strange animal with two legs and a round face seems to have two ram’s horns. On the right, two birds face each other against a background of arabesques. Their eyes face opposite directions, creating a game of symmetry within this remarkable design.

Such figurative decoration was typical of court imagery in the Islamic world during the medieval period. The high relief of the decorations, the standard of craftsmanship, and the fact that some of these pieces are signed demonstrate that such sophisticated objects were reserved for an elite.

For examples of whole or fragmentary habbs, see: - Canby, S. R., Beyazit, D., Rugiadi, M. and Peacock, A. C. S. (2016), exhibition catalogue, Court and Cosmos: The Great Age of the Seljuqs, New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, p. 110 n. 38, p. 131 n. 60, and p. 248 n. 158. - Collections catalogue, Türk Ve Islâm Eserleri Müzesi, Akbank, 2002, p. 132.

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02

sTAR-sHAPeD TiMuRiD Tile

Khaf or Khargird, Khorassan, Northeast Iran Timurid Period Circa 1442-1443 Ceramic decorated in cuerda seca or black line technique, gold leaf Height: 36 cm Width: 34,5 cm Provenance: Old private Belgian collection, acquired through Mr. J. van den Bergh, former president of the Museum Oud Overschie, collection of the late Mr. J.W.N. van Achterbergh Price on request

ObjeCt PReSenteD by:

Alexis Renard T.: + 33 1 44 07 33 02 E.: alexis@alexisrenard.com W: www.alexisrenard.com This ceramic star-shaped Timurid tile shows a design of vegetal patterns and flowers reserved against a deep cobalt background. We can still see remains of gilding. The technique is using gold leaf applied with arabic gum above the glaze.

Tiles such as this example are known to have been placed in combination with others on the Iwan in the Ghiyasiyya Madrasa in Khargird in the Northeast of Iran. This building was finished in 846 AH / 1442-43 AD and made for Ghiyath al-Din Pir Ahmad Khvafi, one of the viziers of the Timurid Shah Rukh.

While these tiles are usually attributed to the mosque of Khargird, their actual location is difficult to determine. Bernard O'Kane made an inventory of similar tiles in several other mosques from Khorasan.

Furthermore, during his journey across the region in 1907, Henry-René d’Allemagne photographed, in the mosque of Khaf, a tile with an identical design as the one of the tile presented.

For related examples, see: Porter, V. (1995) Islamic tiles, London: published by British Museum Press, p. 69. See also: von Folsach, K. (2001) Art from the world of Islam in the David Collection, Copenhagen, p. 174, Ill. 226. A closely related example is kept in the collection of the Louvre Museum in Paris (OA 6165). Another closely related star-form tile is kept in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of New York (Inv. 17.143.1) and published in: Lentz, T. W. & Lowry, G. (1989) Timur and the princely vision - Persian Art and Culture in the Fifteenth Century, LACMA, p. 90, cat. no. 23.

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