Decorative roof tile
A decorative ceramic roof tile, glazed in yellow and yellow-brown, depicting a human figure riding a seated bird, which probably represents the phoenix. The rider’s clothing is robe-like, with embroidery around the neck, and wide sleeves in which the hands are hidden. The rider has his hair combed into a ponytail on top of his head and wears a pointed curly beard. The face is turned to the front. The bird’s head is fully pronounced, as are its tail and wings. The feathers are indicated in relief; the pattern is also an ornament of the brick itself. On both sides of the brick, in the lower part, there is a modelled decoration in the form of a winding string ending in spirals. The object probably dates back to the 17th century or later. (TB)
Material description: ceramics, coloured glaze
Manufacturing technique: modelled and colour glazed ceramics
Dimensions: length: 28 cm, height: 28 cm, depth: 10 cm
No. of parts: 1
Current owner: Slovene Ethnographic Museum
Date of the last acquisition: 1963
Last acquisition method: donation
Previous owners and periods of ownership: Ivan Skušek, Jr. and Tsuneko Kondō Kawase – Marija Skušek, National Museum of Slovenia, Slovene Ethnographic Museum
Object condition, handling and damage: well preserved, in multiple places the glaze has come off, the head has been broken off and re-glued
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