Three Tiles with 'Lajvardina' Glaze

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.

Three Tiles with 'Lajvardina' Glaze, Stonepaste; molded, overglaze painted, and gilded (lajvardina)

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Three Tiles with 'Lajvardina' Glaze, Stonepaste; molded, overglaze painted, and gilded (lajvardina)
Three Tiles with 'Lajvardina' Glaze, Stonepaste; molded, overglaze painted, and gilded (lajvardina)
Three Tiles with 'Lajvardina' Glaze, Stonepaste; molded, overglaze painted, and gilded (lajvardina)
Three Tiles with 'Lajvardina' Glaze, Stonepaste; molded, overglaze painted, and gilded (lajvardina)

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