Architectural ElementsPersian13th-14th century

Fragmentary Star Tile with Lovers

13th-14th century

Description

This fragmentary tile, reassembled from four pieces, depicts a narrative scene closely related to those in contemporary and later manuscript paintings.Through an archway, a couple is shown in bed under a patterned cover. A tall candle in a plaited metal candlestick illuminates the interior of the room, and a similarly ornamented ewer appears further to the right. The partially visible bow and arrows likely belong to the man and indicate his princely activities. The fish at the bottom of the scene and the flowers sprouting above the couple create a dreamlike ambience. A figure, likely a servant, stands at left, perhaps outside the room. Bordering the scene, a Persian inscription, reserved in white on a blue ground, is partially legible. Starting at the break on the left, it reads, . . . wings were broken. . . . from the prince, felicity came to me. Even if fate is not auspicious, give in to your destiny. Eight-pointed star tiles like this one were combined with other tiles of cruciform shape to create shimmering revetments for palaces and religious buildings. Although figural tiles were used in both secular and religious contexts, the intimate nature of the scene depicted here would have made this tile more appropriate for a palace interior.

Classification

Architectural Elements

Technique

Lusterware

Medium

Fritware painted with blue (cobalt) and luster (copper and silver) over white lead alkali glaze opacified with tin

Culture

Persian

Period

Ilkhanid period

Century

13th-14th century

Division

Asian and Mediterranean Art

Department

Department of Islamic & Later Indian Art

Dimensions

23.2 x 21 cm (9 1/8 x 8 1/4 in.)

Provenance

[Charles D. Kelekian, New York]. Lester Wolfe, New York, (by 1975), sold; through [Sotheby Parke Bernet Inc., New York, 14 March 1975, lot 122]; to Stanford and Norma Jean Calderwood, Belmont, MA (1975-2002), gift; to Harvard Art Museums, 2002.