Luster

Shimmering luster surfaces are a recognizable feature of many objects and tiles made in Iran. This gallery explores luster between its original architectural contexts and the museums that now preserve much of this displaced cultural heritage. Weaving between the hands of the potter, pilgrim, curator, and scientist, we seek a deep engagement with this material.

History The creation of luster using the clay paste method is an important achievement in the history of ceramics. In this essay, potter-art historian Abbas Akbari considers the contributions of Iranian scientists and potters and traces luster’s continuous production in Iran.
Sites The Emamzadeh Yahya was one of many monuments decorated with luster tilework between 1200 and 1350. This essay by Hossein Nakhaei and Keelan Overton explores the forty-one sites associated with luster revetment, including tombs and excavations.
Interiors Luster tiles were produced in a variety of shapes to create architectural features including cenotaphs, mihrabs, epigraphic friezes, and dados (lower walls). In this essay, art historian Anaïs Leone surveys the tiled interiors of medieval Iran.
Cenotaphs The cenotaph is the most sacred element of any Iranian tomb, but many luster examples have been dismantled. In this essay, art historian Sheila Blair considers the whole and the parts, including the ‘tombstones’ naming the deceased and often signed by potters.
Handling Session Luster tiles from the Emamzadeh Yahya are preserved in around fifty museums worldwide. This film with V&A curator Fuchsia Hart weaves between the museum’s storage, archives, and galleries and shows what it is like to handle, research, and appreciate these tiles.
Scientific Analysis During this project, scientific analysis was initiated on several luster tiles attributed to the Emamzadeh Yahya. This feature will share how these tiles were selected and sampled and present the scientists’ preliminary findings. Coming soon.