Covering tile depicting a gallant scene, Iran qâjâr, Tehran - Lot 178

Covering tile depicting a gallant scene, Iran qâjâr, Tehran or Isfahan, circa 1880-90, signed Safar 'Alî Large siliceous ceramic tile with underglaze polychrome molded and painted decoration of a couple flanked by their followers exchanging in an abundantly flowered landscape, with churches depicted in the background. A frieze of flowering foliage and birds crowns the scene. Signed Ustad Safar 'Ali in a cartouche lower right. 33 x 37.5 cm Upper left corner broken-glued, varnish runs, cracks on back, fixing holes on back. Another tile depicting the same subject and signed Safar 'Ali is in the Hassan Mohazzab collection in Brussels, which also holds a second, unsigned tile dated 1311 H / 1893-94.