CERAMIC CENTERS OF UZBEKISTAN
REP UBLIC OF KARAKALPAKSTAN
OUR JOURNEY
NAVOIY
Andijan
Tashkent
KHOREZM
TASHKENT
Gijduvan
NAMANGAN
Madir
ANDIJAN BUKHARA
JIZZAKH
GULISTON
FERGANA
Gurumsaray SAMARKAND
Rishtan Urgut
Bukhara KASHKADARYA
Shakhrisabz S URKHANDARYA
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CERAMIC CENTERS OF UZBEKISTAN
REP UBLIC OF KARAKALPAKSTAN
OUR JOURNEY
NAVOIY
Andijan
Tashkent
KHOREZM
TASHKENT
Gijduvan
NAMANGAN
Madir
ANDIJAN BUKHARA
JIZZAKH
GULISTON
FERGANA
Gurumsaray SAMARKAND
Rishtan Urgut
Bukhara KASHKADARYA
Shakhrisabz S URKHANDARYA
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C E R A M I C s I N U z B E K I sTA N
Ceramics in Uzbekistan A VERY BRIEF INTRODUCTION
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lazing makes all the difference.
Pottery—the craft by which clay is turned into plates, bowls, jugs, vases, and other household tableware—was practiced in Transoxiana (Mawarannahr) since ancient times, but with the Arab conquest of the early 8th century, it took a dramatic turn. Among other technologies and innovations, the Arabs brought techniques for glazing clay objects that had been developed around the Mediterranean centuries earlier. After the first firing, earthenware retains a gritty and porous surface, so it’s not well suited to storing drinking liquids or cradling prepared foodstuffs. Therefore, in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, ceramists began to overlay their items with glaze—a glass-like substance that melts and vitrifies at high temperatures, creating a smooth, watertight coating that renders pottery suitable for table use. Moreover, the glaze acts as a transparent protective coating over any painted or etched decoration on the surface of the pottery item, making these artistic touches durable. Durability opens up a host of possibilities for the aesthetically minded potter, leading to ever more creative approaches to pottery. Thus, in the centuries of Abbasid influence over Mawarannahr, especially from the 9th to the 12th, there was a flourishing of ceramic art, in particular in the central zone known as Afrosiyab (presentday Samarkand). The products of this period were mostly warmtoned—ochres and browns, often on a cream-white background— and featured stylized vegetal patterns, symbolic geometries, and mythical animal figures. An epigraphic style was also popular during 16
the Samanid period, in which Kufic calligraphy was applied as decoration against a plain background. (The Samanids were a local dynasty who ruled Khorasan and Mawarannahr in the 9th–10th centuries, under the nominal suzerainty of the Abbasid Caliphate.) The destructive Mongol invasion of the 13th century arrested the development of artistic ceramics in Mawarannahr, but eventually, under the Timurids, the craft recovered. By then, blue-and-white porcelain imported from China had been introduced to Central Asia, so local potters adapted to the new trend by producing ceramics in the brilliant cerulean colors that everyone now associates with Uzbek pottery, especially from Rishtan. However, such moviy (sky-blue) pottery was also produced elsewhere in the Timurid lands, including in Bukhara, Tashkent, and Khorezm.
A striking example of the most common decorative pattern applied to lagans in Rishtan—the mihrab style. This rendition features 24 elements inspired by the angled arch of an Islamic prayer niche (mihrab), accented in bright green. Used extensively in factory production during the Soviet period, this pattern is easy to reproduce because of its repetitive radial symmetry. In a factory, however, it would have consisted of fewer elements.
The disintegration of Timur’s empire and the formation of three separate khanates in the 16th century led to a more distinctive and localized development of pottery forms and especially decorative styles, with some areas in central Mawarannahr reaching back to pre-Mongol times to favor red, brown, and green tones. By the early 19th century, the traits of Mawarannahr’s main schools of ceramic production (see box) had assumed their definitive identity. 17
C E R A M I C s I N U z B E K I sTA N
Ceramics in Uzbekistan A VERY BRIEF INTRODUCTION
G
lazing makes all the difference.
Pottery—the craft by which clay is turned into plates, bowls, jugs, vases, and other household tableware—was practiced in Transoxiana (Mawarannahr) since ancient times, but with the Arab conquest of the early 8th century, it took a dramatic turn. Among other technologies and innovations, the Arabs brought techniques for glazing clay objects that had been developed around the Mediterranean centuries earlier. After the first firing, earthenware retains a gritty and porous surface, so it’s not well suited to storing drinking liquids or cradling prepared foodstuffs. Therefore, in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, ceramists began to overlay their items with glaze—a glass-like substance that melts and vitrifies at high temperatures, creating a smooth, watertight coating that renders pottery suitable for table use. Moreover, the glaze acts as a transparent protective coating over any painted or etched decoration on the surface of the pottery item, making these artistic touches durable. Durability opens up a host of possibilities for the aesthetically minded potter, leading to ever more creative approaches to pottery. Thus, in the centuries of Abbasid influence over Mawarannahr, especially from the 9th to the 12th, there was a flourishing of ceramic art, in particular in the central zone known as Afrosiyab (presentday Samarkand). The products of this period were mostly warmtoned—ochres and browns, often on a cream-white background— and featured stylized vegetal patterns, symbolic geometries, and mythical animal figures. An epigraphic style was also popular during 16
the Samanid period, in which Kufic calligraphy was applied as decoration against a plain background. (The Samanids were a local dynasty who ruled Khorasan and Mawarannahr in the 9th–10th centuries, under the nominal suzerainty of the Abbasid Caliphate.) The destructive Mongol invasion of the 13th century arrested the development of artistic ceramics in Mawarannahr, but eventually, under the Timurids, the craft recovered. By then, blue-and-white porcelain imported from China had been introduced to Central Asia, so local potters adapted to the new trend by producing ceramics in the brilliant cerulean colors that everyone now associates with Uzbek pottery, especially from Rishtan. However, such moviy (sky-blue) pottery was also produced elsewhere in the Timurid lands, including in Bukhara, Tashkent, and Khorezm.
A striking example of the most common decorative pattern applied to lagans in Rishtan—the mihrab style. This rendition features 24 elements inspired by the angled arch of an Islamic prayer niche (mihrab), accented in bright green. Used extensively in factory production during the Soviet period, this pattern is easy to reproduce because of its repetitive radial symmetry. In a factory, however, it would have consisted of fewer elements.
The disintegration of Timur’s empire and the formation of three separate khanates in the 16th century led to a more distinctive and localized development of pottery forms and especially decorative styles, with some areas in central Mawarannahr reaching back to pre-Mongol times to favor red, brown, and green tones. By the early 19th century, the traits of Mawarannahr’s main schools of ceramic production (see box) had assumed their definitive identity. 17
M A ST E R C E R A M I ST S O F U Z B E K I STA N
C E R A M I C s I N U z B E K I sTA N
THE MAIN STYLISTIC SCHOOLS OF UZBEK CERAMICS
▲ Fergana, centered on Rishtan, where cool turquoise and cobalt tones on a white background predominate. However, there is great variety in the use of colors in Fergana, including the hazy cyan hues of Gurumsaray and the bright yellows of Andijan. Design-wise, too, the characteristic moviy look is only one of several historically documented styles.
▲ Khorezm, known for its azure tones, intricate floral-geometric designs, cosmograms, and characteristic platters with a high base known as badiya. ◀ Central, including the traditional ceramic centers of Urgut, Gijduvan, and Shakhrisabz, where warm colors take center stage—colors that speak of sunshine and closeness to the earth. ◼ Tashkent, known for its eclectic approach to decorating pottery with colors and motifs borrowed from other regions and combined innovatively.
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M A ST E R C E R A M I ST S O F U Z B E K I STA N
C E R A M I C s I N U z B E K I sTA N
THE MAIN STYLISTIC SCHOOLS OF UZBEK CERAMICS
▲ Fergana, centered on Rishtan, where cool turquoise and cobalt tones on a white background predominate. However, there is great variety in the use of colors in Fergana, including the hazy cyan hues of Gurumsaray and the bright yellows of Andijan. Design-wise, too, the characteristic moviy look is only one of several historically documented styles.
▲ Khorezm, known for its azure tones, intricate floral-geometric designs, cosmograms, and characteristic platters with a high base known as badiya. ◀ Central, including the traditional ceramic centers of Urgut, Gijduvan, and Shakhrisabz, where warm colors take center stage—colors that speak of sunshine and closeness to the earth. ◼ Tashkent, known for its eclectic approach to decorating pottery with colors and motifs borrowed from other regions and combined innovatively.
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T H E R A K H I M OV fA M I LY
The Rakhimov Family E C L E C T I C I S M A N D E X P E R I M E N TAT I O N I N C E R A M I C A R T
“We must build on the work of our ancestors. Our grandchildren, in turn, must be better than us.” — AKBAR RAKHIMOV
A
s dawn breaks, 75-year-old Akbar Rakhimov sits in his quiet studio, engrossed in painting a ceramic plate he plans to fire later this week. For as long as he can remember, the studio has been his sanctuary—a creative space where the joy of crafting connects him to his family roots. His nimble hands trace floral motifs inspired by the traditional Tashkent ceramic art school. Each pattern is unique, a product of creativity rather than a predesigned template. Akbar heads one of Uzbekistan’s most prominent ceramist dynasties. Speaking softly, his voice as soothing as a lullaby, he reflects on his family’s legacy. "Seven generations of our family have been engaged in ceramics. My father, my great-grandfather, and my great-greatgrandfather were ceramists. My son Alisher and two grandsons have followed in my footsteps, and their works feature prominently in our exhibitions.” The story of the Rakhimovs begins in the 19th century in the narrow, unpaved alleys of Chaqar Mahalla, an old neighborhood just south of Chorsu Bazaar. There, Usto Rahim (from whom the family acquired their surname) set up a ceramics workshop to produce simple,
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27
T H E R A K H I M OV fA M I LY
The Rakhimov Family E C L E C T I C I S M A N D E X P E R I M E N TAT I O N I N C E R A M I C A R T
“We must build on the work of our ancestors. Our grandchildren, in turn, must be better than us.” — AKBAR RAKHIMOV
A
s dawn breaks, 75-year-old Akbar Rakhimov sits in his quiet studio, engrossed in painting a ceramic plate he plans to fire later this week. For as long as he can remember, the studio has been his sanctuary—a creative space where the joy of crafting connects him to his family roots. His nimble hands trace floral motifs inspired by the traditional Tashkent ceramic art school. Each pattern is unique, a product of creativity rather than a predesigned template. Akbar heads one of Uzbekistan’s most prominent ceramist dynasties. Speaking softly, his voice as soothing as a lullaby, he reflects on his family’s legacy. "Seven generations of our family have been engaged in ceramics. My father, my great-grandfather, and my great-greatgrandfather were ceramists. My son Alisher and two grandsons have followed in my footsteps, and their works feature prominently in our exhibitions.” The story of the Rakhimovs begins in the 19th century in the narrow, unpaved alleys of Chaqar Mahalla, an old neighborhood just south of Chorsu Bazaar. There, Usto Rahim (from whom the family acquired their surname) set up a ceramics workshop to produce simple,
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27
M A ST E R C E R A M I ST S O F U Z B E K I STA N
30
T H E R A K H I M OV fA M I LY
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M A ST E R C E R A M I ST S O F U Z B E K I STA N
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T H E R A K H I M OV fA M I LY
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M A ST E R C E R A M I ST S O F U Z B E K I STA N
50
A L I s H E R N A z I R OV
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M A ST E R C E R A M I ST S O F U Z B E K I STA N
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A L I s H E R N A z I R OV
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M A ST E R C E R A M I ST S O F U Z B E K I STA N
A L I s H E R N A z I R OV
Today, Alisher’s work is prized around the world for its quality and artistic sophistication. His dedication has helped revitalize many traditional Rishtan forms and ornaments, some of which had nearly vanished. Though most associate Rishtan ceramics with the blue-andwhite style known as moviy, Alisher has revived three other centuries-old styles: safed-paz (with a white background), kabud-paz (blue), and zard-paz, the golden tone once used in ceremonial art. Despite their different colors, all three styles share some common features, notably the use of a matte glaze and the chizma scratching technique, whereby a pattern is etched onto the surface of the clay and then overlaid with a painted design.
Examples of Alisher Nazirov’s preferred ceramic styles: safed-paz, kabud-paz, and zard-paz.
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The master instructing his 13-year-old apprentice, Eldor.
What makes his works so meaningful? “Only one in a thousand masters will be remembered,” he muses. “To become a true master, you must develop your own, distinctive style, even while respecting the artisanal tradition you belong to. And being skilled with your hands isn’t enough. You must imbue your work with your soul. Besides clay, pigment, and glaze, that’s the final component in a ceramic piece. And it’s the one that speaks to the customer.” 53
M A ST E R C E R A M I ST S O F U Z B E K I STA N
A L I s H E R N A z I R OV
Today, Alisher’s work is prized around the world for its quality and artistic sophistication. His dedication has helped revitalize many traditional Rishtan forms and ornaments, some of which had nearly vanished. Though most associate Rishtan ceramics with the blue-andwhite style known as moviy, Alisher has revived three other centuries-old styles: safed-paz (with a white background), kabud-paz (blue), and zard-paz, the golden tone once used in ceremonial art. Despite their different colors, all three styles share some common features, notably the use of a matte glaze and the chizma scratching technique, whereby a pattern is etched onto the surface of the clay and then overlaid with a painted design.
Examples of Alisher Nazirov’s preferred ceramic styles: safed-paz, kabud-paz, and zard-paz.
52
The master instructing his 13-year-old apprentice, Eldor.
What makes his works so meaningful? “Only one in a thousand masters will be remembered,” he muses. “To become a true master, you must develop your own, distinctive style, even while respecting the artisanal tradition you belong to. And being skilled with your hands isn’t enough. You must imbue your work with your soul. Besides clay, pigment, and glaze, that’s the final component in a ceramic piece. And it’s the one that speaks to the customer.” 53