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Country of Origin: Ottoman
Empire
JBOC Comments:
Auction Catalogue Description:
Arts of the Islamic World
SALE L06220 LOT 92
SESSION 1 | 05 Apr 06 10:30 AM.
London, New Bond Street
A FINE KASHAN MINAI BOWL WITH TURQUOISE GLAZE,
PERSIA, EARLY 13TH CENTURY
4,000—6,000 GBP
MEASUREMENTS
measurements note
18.3cm.
DESCRIPTION
of truncated conical form with stepped profile
and straight vertical foot, decorated with an
opaque turquoise glaze and painted in red, black,
brown, white and green enamels with a central
medallion of a ruler or prince seated
cross-legged on a low throne holding a drinking
cup in his right hand, the border of the
medallion with sunburst rays, a band of foliated
Kufic below the rim, the back with cursive
inscription in red enamel, three labels stuck to
the underside "D. Kelekian, 2 Place
Vendôme, Paris, D.K. 3374" , "K.R.M P
I", and "Persian Exhibition New York
1940, P A 16"
PROVENANCE
D.G. Kelekian Collection, Paris
Purchased from Bluett and Sons, London, 1957
EXHIBITED
Exhibition of Persian Art, The Iranian Institute
of America, New York, 1940, no. PA 16
CATALOGUE NOTE
Quite apart from its outstanding aesthetic
qualities, this bowl is of considerable interest
for its solar symbolism. The ruler or prince is
deliberately likened to the sun. Seated in regal
posture and clad in gold vestments with a halo
illuminating the space around him, he is the
personification of the sun, the source of light
and life - an ancient and enduring topos of
Persian art. His presence is radiating light
outwards into the starry firmament represented by
the gold dots scattered across the pale blue
ground. The beneficence of his rule is thus
compared to the rays of the sun lighting up the
world. The gold inscriptions, repeating the
phrase 'Wealth' reinforce the statement of his
omnipotence.
Seen on www.Sotheby's.com
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