Tile originating from an as yet unrecorded « unified-field » panel framed with an included border. Ceramic tile decorated over a lavender-blue ground in white, red, green and cobalt blue, outlined in black with large cloudbands and scrolling tendrils from which flowers bloom. The upper part is composed of a calligraphic border comprising a polylobed cartouche ending in an intricate knot, inscribed in reserve in nasta’liq with scrolling stems against a black ground, within two plaited friezes. Set in an old wooden frame. Old number « 2305 » written in pencil at the back of the tile, and number “2318”, probably from an Indjoudjian inventory, written in pencil on the reverse of the frame.

The inscription is the final hemistich of an Arabic quatrain, often attributed to ‘Ali b. Abi Talib: [wa]-la tahris ‘ala al-dunya  “[And] do not covet the world”

This superb tile is exceptional not only in terms of the rarity of its lavender-blue ground, but also in terms of it its size and excellent condition.

Nine tiles from this panel were already sold at auction, broken and restored. As none shows a part of a calligraphic border, we had so far no information as to the composition of the original panel.

Mrs P. F., born Lucienne Indjourdjian in Paris (9th arrond^t ), who died in Antibes in 2022 aged 108 years, was the daughter of Mergueditch Indjoudjian, a famous oriental-art dealer who established business in Paris with his brother in the early twentieth century.

Sold for 533,200 € at auction in Grasse on Saturday 28^th October 2023, lot 18 (Clément Rebière auctioneer, Laure Soustiel expert)