TWO MULTAN POTTERY TILES WITH AN INVOCATION TO THE PROPHET
Multan, Sindh, Punjab, second half 19th century

Comprising two pottery tiles, each of different shape, meant to be overimposed to display a complete palmette-like design, painted in cobalt blue, yellow, and turquoise on a white ground, each tile decorated with a central cusped calligraphic cartouche reading a recurrent Arabic invocation to the Prophet (Ya Muhammad, ʿAlayhi al-salam, lit. Oh Muhammad, Peace be upon Him!), in white reserved against a cobalt blue ground, surrounded by stylised vegetal meanderings reminiscent of acanthus leaves, intertwined with lotus flowers and pointy rosettes, the borders painted in cobalt blue with white highlights, respectively 30.5cm x 45.8cm and 29.5cm x 41.4cm.