A pottery jug standing on a splayed unglazed foot-ring and base, globular body with tall and wide cylindrical neck with handle and small thumb-piece on top, painted in brownish lustre. Chain and scroll motifs on the lower part of the body, on the upper part ten lobed medallions reserved in white and decorated with leaf and scroll patterns painted in lustre, chain and scroll motives on the neck and cursive inscription (unread) in white round the rim. Inside the rim Kufic characters of kalimaat al-Tawhid in lustre.
Inscriptions around the rim: Repetition of Persian verses (mostly undeciphered).
Height: 18.5 cm.
PROVENANCE
Private collection, Switzerland
CATALOGUE NOTE
Lustre – a metallic glaze – was first used on pottery during the ninth century A.D. in Iraq, but gained more popularity from the tenth century onwards. The town of Kashan became the centre of the Persian lustre industry, and produced some of the most beautiful examples. It was in the thirteenth century that fritware, similar to the ancient Egyptian faience, was developed; composed of quartz and clay, it produced ceramics with a pleasing sheen.