About this artwork
Phoenixes were common motifs of Ilkhanid ceramics and regularly featured on eight-pointed star tiles. This tile features a phoenix with outstretched wings and a sweeping tail reserved against a luster ground. This tile’s decoration is similar to tiles depicting phoenixes made for the Ilkhanid palace known as Takht-i Sulaiman, which was constructed in the 1270s. While the exact provenance of this tile is uncertain, the use of such designs at Takht-i Sulaiman provides an approximate date for this piece. Modern-day excavations of Takht-i Sulaiman have revealed thousands of tile fragments, which were once used as lavish ornamentation for palace walls that must have gleamed when light reflected their brilliant luster.
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Status
- Currently Off View
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Department
- Arts of Asia
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Culture
- Islamic
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Title
- Star-Shaped Tile with Phoenix
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Place
- Iran (Object made in)
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Date
- Made 1250–1290
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Medium
- Lusterware, fritware molded and painted in luster, blue, and turquoise over an opaque white glaze
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Dimensions
- 21.2 × 21.8 × 1.2 cm (8 5/16 × 8 9/16 × 1/2 in.)
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Credit Line
- Lucy Maud Buckingham Collection
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Reference Number
- 1926.2175
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IIIF Manifest
- https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/92287/manifest.json
Extended information about this artwork
Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.
