The sultan, the merchant, the peasant, and the gravedigger: Medieval Islamic Ceramics in Context
A Lecture by Professor Scott Redford.
Western European & North American collecting of Islamic ceramics was, and continues to be, affected by two biases: a developed taste for Chinese ceramics and a western artistic affinity for figural art. What might different histories of medieval Islamic ceramics be?
Basing itself on archaeology, materials science analysis of Islamic and allied ceramic traditions, and a critical look at the academic study of medieval Islamic ceramics, this lecture aims to present aspects of the production and consumption of ceramics in medieval Syria, Egypt, and Iran in their social context.
We are grateful to Rosebery’s for sponsoring this lecture.
Venue Access Information: The Society of Antiquaries welcomes wheelchairs and mobility vehicles however since the main entrance consists of steps they will provide a ramp if needed which can be arranged by calling 020 7479 7095 prior to your arrival. Essential companions are also welcome and Hearing Loops are built into the Lecture Room AV system. There are no designated disabled toilets but toilets are located on the ground floor. For more information visit: Accessibility
Image credit: Glazed and Incised Bowl depicting Lioness, North West Iran, 12th-13th century, The Art Institute of Chicago
Speaker
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Scott RedfordScott Redford is Nasser D. Khalili Professor of Islamic Art and Archaeology at SOAS. Fortuitously, this title coincides with his interest in both art history and archaeology, with their different approaches to the study of Islamic ceramics. He has worked on mediaeval Islamic ceramics from sites in Iran, Egypt, and Turkey and in the 1990s collaborated with research chemist James Blackman of the Smithsonian Institution on the neutron activation analysis of select glazed ceramics from two sites in Turkey, Kinet and Gritille. His talk will engage with both archaeological approaches to the study of mediaeval Islamic ceramics and the history of their collection, display, and study in western Europe and North America.
