10368 A Persian Safavid period blue and white pottery bowl, the centre decorated with fantastical plants and flowers with an arcaded guard border, within a continuous border of unusual plants and possibly pomegranates, the reverse neatly painted with nine panels with a disc at the centre of each, on a raised foot rim. Glaze chips to the rim, two hairlines and some staining and rubbing through usage.
Persian
1680
Diameter: 11.75 ins (29 cms) Sold
Description
During the later Safavid period, the export of Persian faience or pottery benefitted from the trading difficulties, largely affecting Dutch trading compaines, between China and West. Between 1650 and 1690, political instability (between the end of the Ming and beginning of the Ching dynasty) and the destruction of the Jingdezhen porcelain kilns forced European merchants to look for other sources of this enormous market. Small quantities of Persian wares helped to fill the gaps though to a fraction of the demand. The style of decoration largely stayed in the late Ming, Kraak taste which was most fashionable in the Netherlands, but with the occasional introduction of Persian motifs.
This dish has a marvelous centre panel which for once is not a close copy of a Chinese original but an interpretation of the potter. A fantasy world of twisted tree trunks and cactus-like fleshy leaves. It would seem to have been a less successful style judging by the small amounts of dishes with this decoration to have survived. We can assume that the Dutch market was not ready for this novelty and classic patterns remained in greater demand.
For a large holding of Safavid pottery including some dishes with similar centre panels, see the unrivalled V and A Museum collection.
