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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.”These colorful compositions created complex narrative scenes which paralleled manuscript painting. Mina’i ware scenes often depict courtly pursuits, such as feasting, fighting, or poetry and music performances. This jug features two rows of figures seated amongst a lattice of scrolls and vines. The juxtaposition of human figures with vegetal motifs alludes to social gatherings in a garden, yet another leisurely courtly activity frequently depicted on mina’i ceramics. Two kufic inscriptions line the inner and outer rims of the jug opening.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
4985
label
Jug with Seated Figures and Vines
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
pageCount
11
Source metadata
id
4985
sourceUrl
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Jug with Seated Figures and Vines
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.”These colorful compositions created complex narrative scenes which paralleled manuscript painting. Mina’i ware scenes often depict courtly pursuits, such as feasting, fighting, or poetry and music performances. This jug features two rows of figures seated amongst a lattice of scrolls and vines. The juxtaposition of human figures with vegetal motifs alludes to social gatherings in a garden, yet another leisurely courtly activity frequently depicted on mina’i ceramics. Two kufic inscriptions line the inner and outer rims of the jug opening.
provenance
Henry Walters, Baltimore, [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
date
late 12th-early 13th century (Seljuq (?))
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
jugs
imageCount
11
pageCount
11
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
12
height
13.8
depth
13.2
dimensionsRaw
H: 4 3/4 × W with handle: 5 7/16 × D: 5 3/16 in. (12 × 13.8 × 13.2 cm)
Source extras
med
fritware, white underglaze, black, blue, dark green, purple, pink, red, turquoise, white overglaze enamel, and traces of gilding
creator_ids
6768
collection_ids
none
exhibition_ids
none
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