Lusterware bowl decorated with dragons

Object Details

• Description

  Bowl with straight side widening at the rim and high foot. In the center is a medallion with foliate forms evolving from a four-partite element, enclosed by a band of cursive inscriptions painted in reserve. The inner walls contain two scaled bands which intertwine around a bird and terminate in four pairs of confronting dragon heads. Kufic letters rendered in reserve appear between the scaled bands while a quatrain written in the cursive style is placed between the dragon heads. Another cursive inscription, written in reserve, encircles the rim. The exterior is painted in reserve and contains large leaves enclosed by vines.

• Inscriptions

  (E. Atil, 1982) The inscriptions, similar to other Kashan wares, are written in a typically loose and careless style. According to Oliver Hoare of AHUAN, there is a date, Shawwal 609, on the piece. Upon careful study and search, this date was found on the innermost band painted in reserve (^o^, see photocopy in file for placement): "Fi Shawwal sana tis'a wa sitta-mi'a (In Shawwal the year nine and six hundred.)"

• Provenance

  Kevorkian Collection [1]

  1968

  Sale, Sotheby's, in 1968 [2]

  Edwin Binney, 3rd [3]

  To 1982

  Ahuan (Islamic Art Services Limited), London, to 1982

  From 1982

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Ahuan (Islamic Art Services Limited) in 1981

  Notes:

  [1]According to Curatorial Note 5, E. Atil, 1981, in the object record. See also, Curatorial Note 2, E. Atil, 1982, in the object record.

  [2] See Note 1.

  [3] See Note 1.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Previous custodian or owner

  Edwin Binney 3rd (1925-1986)

  Ahuan (Islamic Art Services Limited)

• Origin

  Iran

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Vessel

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1200s

• Name

  Binney, Edwin, Ahuan (Islamic Art Services Limited)

• Topic

  Kufic script, Art, Animals, Arts of the Islamic World, Birds, Ceramics, Flowers, Dragon

• Culture

  Muslims, Iranians

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)