Three Tiles with 'Lajvardina' Glaze

second half 13th–14th century

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 455

This eight-pointed tile was decorated using a technique called lajvardina, a term that references lapis lazuli, a deep blue colored stone containing gold particles. After an initial firing to establish the dark blue background, the tile underwent a second firing to set the overglazed details and the carefully cut pieces of gold leaf, creating a glimmering surface. A flowering spray of Chinese-inspired lotus and peony blossoms occupies the entire surface of this tile, which was once part of a star-and-cross panel adorning the walls of an Ilkhanid palace, mosque, or mausoleum.

Artwork Details

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Provenance

References

Title: Three Tiles with 'Lajvardina' Glaze
Date: second half 13th–14th century
Geography: Attributed to Iran
Medium: Stonepaste; molded, overglaze painted, and gilded (lajvardina)
Dimensions: H. 7 7/8 in. (20 cm)
W. 7 7/8 in. (20 cm)
D. 3/4 in. (1.9 cm)
Classification: Ceramics-Tiles
Credit Line: The Grinnell Collection, Bequest of William Milne Grinnell, 1920
Object Number: 20.120.73
Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

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