Lot 60A
Near East, Persia, Islamic culture, Seljuk Period, ca. 12th century CE. A refined example of Seljuk ceramic ingenuity, this cream-glazed earthenware bowl embodies the artistic ambition and technical sophistication of 12th-century Iran. Formed with a sharply flared profile and set on a short ring foot, the bowl is both elegant and experimental, revealing delicate pierced decoration known as fenestration - an innovation associated with high-status wares of the period. The bowl's surface, beneath its pale ivory glaze, is carefully molded in low relief with a repeating pattern of vertical ribs around the exterior. These ribs are mirrored inside by a ring of pinhole piercings, visible only when held to the light. Each opening glows like a constellation, revealing the bowl's hidden geometry and inviting an interplay between shadow and illumination. These fenestrations, while subtle, required extraordinary care in the kiln to prevent collapse during firing. Size: 6.6" Diameter x 3.1" H (16.8 cm x 7.9 cm)
Within the basin, a finely crackled glaze pools over the molded well, where soft crazing and age-induced wear lend a delicate warmth to the vessel's once-cool palette. The potter's hand remains visible in the slight irregularity of form, a mark of authenticity that grounds the piece in its medieval origin. Such bowls likely served dual roles: functional for presentation or serving, and decorative for use in refined domestic or courtly settings. Their light-transmitting walls may have also held spiritual or symbolic meaning in the context of Islamic aesthetics, which celebrated light as a metaphor for divine truth.
Provenance: ex-T.F. Holy Lands collection, formed since the 1960s
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#195730
- Condition: Professionally repaired with restoration and repainting over break lines. Light surface wear, but, otherwise nice presentation with craquelure to glaze.
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| $300 | $999 | $50 |
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| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
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| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $20,000 |