12th-13th century
Iran
Object qualities
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Objecttableware: Bowl
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Type of arts & crafts
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MediumStonepaste; polychrome inglaze and overglaze painted on opaque monochrome glaze (mina'i)
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SizeH. 3 13/16 in. (9.7 cm) Diam. 8 1/2 in. (21.6 cm)
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Geography detailsAttributed to
Iran -
Country today
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Date12th-13th century
Source of information
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Type of sourceDatabase “Metropolitan Museum of Art”
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Fund that the source refers toMetropolitan Museum of Art
Description
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Some of the mina’i ceramics illustrate stories from the Persian epic, the Shahnama, predating its earliest surviving illustrated manuscripts by nearly a century. This bowl depicts the episode of Prince Bahram Gur hunting with Azada, his favorite concubine. Azada challenges Bahram Gur to a hunting feat, but when he succeeds, she pities the slain gazelles and reproaches him. In anger, he tramples her under his camel’s feet. The painter has conflated two different moments into one scene.