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Lot Essay
This rare turquoise-glazed cockerel sculpture is a remarkable surviving example of the production of Kashan. Produced in one of the most important centres of Islamic pottery during the Seljuq period, this piece belongs to a distinctive series of turquoise-glazed birds, characterized by their opaque glaze and moulded bodies (see Melanie Gibson, Takuk and Timthal: A Study of Glazed Ceramic Sculpture from Iran and Syria circa 1150–1250, SOAS, University of London, 2010, Vol. 2). While the exact function of such sculptures remains uncertain, it is suggested that they may have had an architectural role. The rich turquoise-blue glaze is one of the hallmarks of Persian ceramics, particularly from Kashan. This cockerel exemplifies the intricate techniques of the period, with the glaze applied over a moulded body that displays both subtle relief and tonal contrast.
The cockerel holds significant symbolic meaning in both pre-Islamic and Islamic art, often representing vitality, renewal, and divine favour. In pre-Islamic Iran, it was associated with the protection of light and the warding off of evil, while in Islamic art, it symbolised the triumph of light over darkness, regeneration, and spiritual strength. According to Chitsazian and Davoudi (2020), the rooster's symbolism reflects its role as a protector and a symbol of renewal and hope, deeply ingrained in the cultural and artistic traditions of Iran (Chitsazian & Davoudi, 2020, The Symbolic Position of the Rooster in Iranian Culture and Art Based on Pottery, Metal, and Textiles, Journal of Art Faculty, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, vol. 9, issue 19, 2020, pp. 13–20).
Comparable examples, all of the same attribution, include a cockerel sold in these Rooms, 18 October 1994, lot 283, and another sold in April 1982, lot 180, as well as pieces from the Mahboubian Collection, the Metropolitan Museum of Art (inv. no. 54.152.2), and the Lewisohn Collection (all published in Gibson, Takuk and Timthal, Vol. 2, nos. 378, 379, and 381).
The cockerel holds significant symbolic meaning in both pre-Islamic and Islamic art, often representing vitality, renewal, and divine favour. In pre-Islamic Iran, it was associated with the protection of light and the warding off of evil, while in Islamic art, it symbolised the triumph of light over darkness, regeneration, and spiritual strength. According to Chitsazian and Davoudi (2020), the rooster's symbolism reflects its role as a protector and a symbol of renewal and hope, deeply ingrained in the cultural and artistic traditions of Iran (Chitsazian & Davoudi, 2020, The Symbolic Position of the Rooster in Iranian Culture and Art Based on Pottery, Metal, and Textiles, Journal of Art Faculty, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, vol. 9, issue 19, 2020, pp. 13–20).
Comparable examples, all of the same attribution, include a cockerel sold in these Rooms, 18 October 1994, lot 283, and another sold in April 1982, lot 180, as well as pieces from the Mahboubian Collection, the Metropolitan Museum of Art (inv. no. 54.152.2), and the Lewisohn Collection (all published in Gibson, Takuk and Timthal, Vol. 2, nos. 378, 379, and 381).