{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O85417"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O85417/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AG6731/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AG6731/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AG6731","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HL3739","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HL3740","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HL3741","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HL3742","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HL3743","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HL3744","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HL3745","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HL3746","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HL3747","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HL3748","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HL3749","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O85417/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O85417","accessionNumber":"C.51-1952","objectType":"Dish","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"The verses surrounding the polo player on this dish suggest that he represents an unattainable object of desire. One poem reads:\r\n\r\n‘It has not been my habit, where lust is concerned,\r\nTo speak of the pain in my heart to anyone.\r\nDespite this, I wish to say one thing:\r\nI have died for love of you! Respond to my cry for help!’\r\n\r\nIn many Islamic societies, scenes containing humans and animals were a common type of decoration in non-religious contexts. The source of this imagery was usually poetry, the most highly esteemed form of secular literature. \r\n\r\nLuxury copies of narrative poems were often illustrated with fine paintings, and the more familiar episodes were depicted on palace walls and objects. Love lyrics accompanied portrayals of beautiful young men and women. Odes in praise of the ruler inspired enthronement scenes. The recitation of poems at court was depicted, as were princely activities such as hunting and, as here, playing polo.","physicalDescription":"White bowl with lustre-painted figure of a polo player on a horse, surrounded by dense ornament including conch-like leaves and birds.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"fritware","id":"x29419"}],"techniques":[{"text":"lustre-painted","id":"x36217"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Fritware with lustre decoration","categories":[{"text":"Ceramics","id":"THES48982"},{"text":"Lustre ware","id":"THES48924"},{"text":"Islam","id":"THES48932"}],"styles":[{"text":"Kashan","id":"AAT21572"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"MES","id":"THES48607"},"images":["2006AG6731","2015HL3739","2015HL3740","2015HL3741","2015HL3742","2015HL3743","2015HL3744","2015HL3745","2015HL3746","2015HL3747","2015HL3748","2015HL3749"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"42","id":"THES49806"},"free":"","case":"WE7","shelf":"2","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Dish","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Kashan","id":"x30242"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"probably"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1208","earliest":"1208-01-01","latest":"1208-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Purchased with Art Fund support and the Byran Bequest","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"35.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"amorous poetry","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"Persian","medium":"","method":"","position":"around outside of central composition","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Persian; around outside of central composition"}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Dish with lustre-painted representation of a young polo player surrounded by amorous verses, Iran (probably Kashan), 1208.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Lane, Arthur. Early Islamic Pottery. London: Faber and Faber, 1947.","id":"AUTH407992"},"details":"pp. 39, 40, plate 62A","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Watson, Oliver. Persian Lustre Ware. London: Faber and Faber, 1985.","id":"AUTH407108"},"details":"Colour Plate E, pp. 90, 98, 104, 108, 109, 198","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Tim Stanley (ed.), with Mariam Rosser-Owen and Stephen Vernoit, <i>Palace and Mosque: Islamic Art from the Middle East</i>, London, V&A Publications, 2004","id":"AUTH351313"},"details":"pp.77, 83, 91, 122","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Verdi, Richard. <i>Saved!: 100 Years of the National Art Collections Fund</i>, London, Hayward Gallery and the National Gallery, 2003","id":"AUTH351328"},"details":"","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"polo","id":"AAT222762"},{"text":"players","id":"AAT235076"},{"text":"birds","id":"x35043"},{"text":"leaves","id":"x34654"},{"text":"horses","id":"x34864"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Jameel Gallery \n\n10–12 Dish and Bowls\r\nIran, probably Kashan\r\n1180–1220\r\n\r\nOn each vessel, a single image is accompanied by verses in Persian concerned with frustrated love. The figures depicted stand for those who are loved but who do not love in return.\r\n\r\nOn the lustre dish, a young prince rides out to play polo. The first bowl shows one youth offering another a glass of wine, while his companion watches. \r\n\r\nThe gazelle on the second bowl is a metaphor for elusive beauty, which flees as the huntsman approaches. \r\n\r\n10 Fritware with lustre over the glaze\r\nDated 1208\r\nMuseum no. C.51-1952\r\nPurchased with the assistance of the National Art Collections Fund and the Bryan Bequest\r\n","date":{"text":"Jameel Gallery","earliest":"2006-07-20","latest":null}},{"text":"DISH\r\nFritware painted in gold lustre, with spots of colour, depicting a polo-player\r\nPERSIAN (KASHAN); dated 604 A.H. (1207 A.D.)","date":{"text":"Old label","earliest":null,"latest":"2000-09-30"}}],"partNumbers":["C.51-1952"],"accessionNumberNum":"51","accessionNumberPrefix":"C","accessionYear":1952,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2016JE1495","2019LR0823","2019LU9766","2019LW7666"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-07-08","recordCreationDate":"2003-11-07","availableToBook":false}}