Qajar Polychrome Moulded Pottery Tile Depicting a Prince and Princess with Two Courtiers, Attributed to Safar 'Ali

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Qajar Polychrome Moulded Pottery Tile Depicting a Prince and Princess with Two Courtiers, Attributed to Safar ‘Ali

Qajar Persia

19^th Century

Attributed to Safar ‘Ali

Dimensions: 33.5 x 37.5 cm.

Fritware, moulded, underglaze polychrome painted tile, depicting a prince and a princess in the centre with a courtier on both sides, in a spring garden with domed buildings in the background. The princess holds a parasol with two flowers. The band on the top is decorated with birds resting on intertwined vine leaves.

In the late 19^th century, Qajar artists began to use Safavid elements in their works. For example, in this tile the prince and his attendant are depicted wearing Safavid-style turbans.

The tradition of depicting courtly scenes has always been alive for centuries in regions where the Muslim faith spread. The tradition of depicting kings and courtiers has deep roots especially in Safavid and Qajar art. Figures were not just used for a decorative purpose but also to convey religious, cultural and political messages. The most frequent themes are a ruler seated on a throne as a symbol of sovereignty; battle scenes, scenes of palace life showing activities such as shooting with a bow and arrow on horseback, hunting with hawks/falcons, playing polo, entertaining in gardens, figures of musicians, dancers, servants offering wine in a cup which represent palace entertainments. The present tile can be interpreted under this category.

An almost identical Qajar tile, decorated with the same composition and signed by the artist Safar ‘Ali, allows us to attribute the present tile to him. For Safar ‘Ali’s tile please see, L’Empire des Roses: Chefs-d’œuvre de l’Art Persan du XIXe Siècle, Snoeck, Louvre Lens, Paris, 2018, p. 305, Fig. 294.

A second comparable Qajar tile, decorated with a similar composition, is in the Victoria and Albert Museum (Accession No. 230-1887), London. Please see the link, https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O113643/tile-unknown/

Provenance

Victor Gubbins Collection, Eden Lacy, Lazonby.

Categories: Ceramics

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Qajar Polychrome Moulded Pottery Tile Depicting a Prince and Princess with Two Courtiers, Attributed to Safar ‘Ali

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