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Source Description

Mina’i is a modern collectors’ term for ceramics made in Iran during the late 12th to early 13th centuries. The term mina’i, translates as “enamelled” in Persian, designating the colored glass pigments used to paint detailed figural decoration on vessels or tiles, which were then fixed on the ceramic base by multiple firings. The use of a wide range of colors, including turquoise, red, green, purple, and black, also led these types of ceramics to be called by the Persian term “haft rang,” or “seven colors.”Mina’i ware scenes often depict courtly pursuits, such as feasting, fighting, or poetry and music performances. These colorful compositions created complex narrative scenes which paralleled manuscript painting. The royal figure depicted here is seen seated on a throne. He is surrounded by two courtiers on either side. Two seated courtiers appear on the upper register, while two harpies stand beneath the throne. The kufic lettering on the inner rim is a pseudo-inscription, whereas the outside inscription is in naskhi.

Scholar Source Context

Document identity
localId
16218
label
Bowl with Enthroned Ruler, Courtiers, and Harpies
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
7
Source metadata
id
16218
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Bowl with Enthroned Ruler, Courtiers, and Harpies
description
Mina’i is a modern collectors’ term for ceramics made in Iran during the late 12th to early 13th centuries. The term mina’i, translates as “enamelled” in Persian, designating the colored glass pigments used to paint detailed figural decoration on vessels or tiles, which were then fixed on the ceramic base by multiple firings. The use of a wide range of colors, including turquoise, red, green, purple, and black, also led these types of ceramics to be called by the Persian term “haft rang,” or “seven colors.”Mina’i ware scenes often depict courtly pursuits, such as feasting, fighting, or poetry and music performances. These colorful compositions created complex narrative scenes which paralleled manuscript painting. The royal figure depicted here is seen seated on a throne. He is surrounded by two courtiers on either side. Two seated courtiers appear on the upper register, while two harpies stand beneath the throne. The kufic lettering on the inner rim is a pseudo-inscription, whereas the outside inscription is in naskhi.
provenance
Dikran Kelekian, New York and Paris, [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1927, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
date
late 12th-early 13th century (Seljuq (?))
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
bowls (vessels)
imageCount
7
pageCount
7
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
7.8
height
18.1
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 3 1/16 x 7 1/8 in. (7.8 x 18.1 cm)
Source extras
med
fritware, white underglaze, black, blue, green, purple, pink, red and white colors overglaze enamel, traces of gilding
creator_ids
6768
collection_ids
none
exhibition_ids
none
Page inventory
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