Dish

Location: Syria

Materials: stonepaste, with carved decoration under a slightly opacified white glaze, stained cobalt blue, manganese, yellow and green (laqabi ware)

Dimensions: 6 x 29.7cm

Accession Number: POT 684

Other Notes:

The dish, which is exceptionally well preserved, is decorated in the so-called laqabi technique with a brilliantly coloured, stylized peacock in the centre, and three bands of pseudo-inscription on the rim. The shape of the dish, with its flat rim, carinated profile and low foot, is typical of laqabi and lustre-painted ‘Tell Minis’ wares.

Laqabi wares are characterised by their deeply carved decoration, which is partly a device for preventing coloured glazes from running in the firing, and by their bold designs, which often include animals or birds in heraldic poses.

Bibliography:

E.J. Grube et al, Cobalt and Lustre. The First Centuries of Islamic Pottery, The Nasser D Khalili Collection of Islamic Art, volume IX, London 1994, cat.284, pp.248, 250.
J.M. Rogers, The Arts of Islam. Masterpieces from the Khalili Collection, London 2010, cat.134, p.116.