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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. These colorful compositions created complex narrative scenes which paralleled manuscript painting. This footed jug’s exterior features a pattern of seated figures. Each figure is separated by a stylized floral motif that alludes to a garden environment. A band of geometric leaves marks the lower register, and a loose inscription encircles the neck of the jug.

Scholar Source Context

Document identity
localId
18235
label
Jug with Seated Persons
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
7
Source metadata
id
18235
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Jug with Seated Persons
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. These colorful compositions created complex narrative scenes which paralleled manuscript painting. This footed jug’s exterior features a pattern of seated figures. Each figure is separated by a stylized floral motif that alludes to a garden environment. A band of geometric leaves marks the lower register, and a loose inscription encircles the neck of the jug.
provenance
Dikran Kelekian, Constantinople and Paris, [date of acquisition unknown], by purchase [as found at Rhadjes]; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1914, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
date
late 12th-early 13th century (Seljuq (?))
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
jugs
imageCount
7
pageCount
7
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
16
height
13.3
dimensionsRaw
H: 6 5/16 × Diam: 5 1/4 in. (16 × 13.3 cm)
Source extras
med
fritware, turquoise underglaze, black, blue, dark green, pink, red, and white overglaze enamel, with traces of gilding
creator_ids
6768
collection_ids
none
exhibition_ids
none
Page inventory
seq
1
type
photo
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63d5065514481481
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2
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photo
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21e6bcd8d1218f91
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type
photo
mediaId
f9fb402fb5f4d0c1
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no
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type
photo
mediaId
62c76ee4c9de3dc1
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no
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type
photo
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f6bb0120629b6b7a
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type
photo
mediaId
95af563afa28c7a9
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no
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no
seq
7
type
photo
mediaId
8a2753ec8009bd19
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no