Lot Essay
The inscription commemorates a certain Mir Muhammad, for whom prayers are asked. It appears to be undated.
Four dated objects, two tombstones and two commemorative tiles similar to ours have been published by Oliver Watson: Persian Lustre Ware, London, 1985. The tombstones are dated AH 886/1481 AD (Musee de Sevres, Paris, inv. no. 19.335: p. 161, fig. 131) and AH 891/1486 AD (The Art Institute of Chicago, AIC 16.145: p. 161, pl. 132). The commemorative tiles are still in situ. One in the Shrine of Shah Yalman in Kashan, made by Qutb al-Din al-Husaini, is dated AH 902/1496 AD (p. 162. fig. 133). The other is in the Masjid-i Jum'a, Kuhpaya and dates from AH 935/1528 AD (p. 162, fig. 134).
With the last mentioned piece our tile shares the general arrangement of design and script, within and around a wide cusped arch. The naskh calligraphy of these two tiles is rather untidy and was executed by an insecure hand compared to the other pieces in this group. Lustre tiles like these give evidence that the lustre technique did not cease in Iran in the 15/16th centuries, in order to assume more importance again in the later Safavid period.
Four dated objects, two tombstones and two commemorative tiles similar to ours have been published by Oliver Watson: Persian Lustre Ware, London, 1985. The tombstones are dated AH 886/1481 AD (Musee de Sevres, Paris, inv. no. 19.335: p. 161, fig. 131) and AH 891/1486 AD (The Art Institute of Chicago, AIC 16.145: p. 161, pl. 132). The commemorative tiles are still in situ. One in the Shrine of Shah Yalman in Kashan, made by Qutb al-Din al-Husaini, is dated AH 902/1496 AD (p. 162. fig. 133). The other is in the Masjid-i Jum'a, Kuhpaya and dates from AH 935/1528 AD (p. 162, fig. 134).
With the last mentioned piece our tile shares the general arrangement of design and script, within and around a wide cusped arch. The naskh calligraphy of these two tiles is rather untidy and was executed by an insecure hand compared to the other pieces in this group. Lustre tiles like these give evidence that the lustre technique did not cease in Iran in the 15/16th centuries, in order to assume more importance again in the later Safavid period.