- 192
A Safavid Cuerda Seca Tile Panel, Persia, 18th Century
Estimate
30,000 - 40,000 GBP
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Description
- Ceramic
comprising twenty tiles mounted in a frame, each decorated in blue, manganese, green and yellow against a white background, featuring a cypress tree to the centre with gazelles, rabbits, birds and blossoming trees to each side, the border composed of a scrolling floral design
Condition
In general good condition, some abrasion and minor breaks along the external edges, some restorations, some plaster infill visible, as viewed.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
Similar tile panels can be found in Safavid palaces and other notable buildings in Isfahan. This tile panel, datable to the eighteenth century, follows a popular Safavid decorative repertoire consisting of a lush outdoor scene filled with cypress trees, floral blossoms, deer, rabbits and birds. The subject of the garden played an important role in Persian classical literature and was consequently represented in a variety of artistic media, and held spiritual, leisurely and courtly connotations.
A particularly interesting comparison can be drawn with Persian carpet designs in which nature is depicted in a symmetrical order, with certain motifs, such as the cypress tree, used to balance the composition. A carpet, possibly from Tabriz, in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, inv. no.10614, dated between 1524 and 1576, illustrates a similar scene to the present tile panel with cypress trees and flowering plants amongst varieties of wildlife within a border with stylised floral scrolls (illustrated in Paris 1990, p.255, no.194).
A particularly interesting comparison can be drawn with Persian carpet designs in which nature is depicted in a symmetrical order, with certain motifs, such as the cypress tree, used to balance the composition. A carpet, possibly from Tabriz, in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, inv. no.10614, dated between 1524 and 1576, illustrates a similar scene to the present tile panel with cypress trees and flowering plants amongst varieties of wildlife within a border with stylised floral scrolls (illustrated in Paris 1990, p.255, no.194).