Lot 41
A MINAI POTTERY BOWL WITH FIGURES
PERSIA, 12TH/ 13TH CENTURY
Auction: 10 June 2026 from 14:00 BST
Description
of deep rounded form on a short foot, decorated in polychrome on a cream ground with a central roundel containing a lattice design, surrounded by a series of seated figures interspersed by stylised trees, the rim with a series of panels containing stylised vegetal motifs, the exterior with a band of inscription, possible comprising the word ‘al-’izz', translated as glory
Dimensions
17cm diameter
Provenance
Acquired Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art including Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art, 24 April 2018, lot 170, and according to their provenance, UK private collection.
Footnote
This is a charming example of Minai ware, also known as the 'seven colours' technique, that emerged in Iran in the 12th Century and was accompanied by a revolutionary development that enabled potters to paint more complex and polychromatic designs. Not all the pigments were applied at the same point, making the process a long and difficult one. The subjects portrayed are often court life pleasures, such as in the case of this one.
For a Minai bowl with a very similar composition in the Al-Sabbah collection, see O. Watson, Ceramics from Islamic Lands, London, 2004, Cat. P.4, p. 369.