A Mina'i pottery bowl

This footed bowl is painted in underglaze cobalt blue and turquoise with overglaze enamel red, brown, black and purple. The interior features two figures, a seated male figure, probably depicting a royal figure holding a cup in his right hand accompanied by a woman holding a bottle. The subject can be found in Iranian lustreware and inlaid metalwork of the same period where relaxed and naturalistic aspects of courtly and elite life were often shown.Mina'i or enamelled pottery is believed to have been a luxury item, because of the richness of the materials and decoration. In Mina'i pottery, pigments and gold were applied in layers which are then fixed by a second low-temperature firing.