House Model Ilkhanid dynasty (1256–1353), 13th century

Curator: Good morning. Here at the Art Institute of Chicago, we are fortunate to house an unusual piece titled "House Model" crafted during the Ilkhanid dynasty in the 13th century. Editor: It has a fascinating structure and an almost childlike simplicity, despite what I imagine would be intricate production processes at the time. It feels quite playful. Curator: The artist—whose identity is unknown to us—worked primarily with ceramic to bring this house model into being. It stands as a fascinating relic. Looking at its cultural implications is important. It would seem as though it functions to demonstrate the home in Ilkhanid society. Editor: The teal hue throughout lends a certain whimsical quality, too. Consider also, the way in which the light from the room passes through those upper registers! Curator: Note the repetitive patterns, the animalistic representations on the outer part of this artifact. It all lends itself to a decorative effect. The choice of a glossy ceramic only increases that, I think. Editor: Certainly! However, do these choices only offer ornamentation or are they offering social context? It’s important to think about art as playing a crucial role in public life, not merely an addendum. Curator: An interesting point, which may shift us to an interpretive space, though the patterns, the construction—these strike me as elements demanding pure, aesthetic consideration, in and of themselves. Editor: It serves, too, as a window into their day-to-day realities, providing access to a history that isn't always visible through formal means, such as literature or government records. The smiling faces inside suggest contentment. Curator: Yes, and that the model encapsulates, formally, their ideals is compelling. Considering all aspects that come together from color, the structure— the object offers, as it were, a thesis. Editor: Precisely, these artifacts reveal ways that meaning-making served purposes that are at once personal and part of some wider discourse! What an utterly beguiling slice of Ilkhanid life. Curator: Indeed, an insightful glimpse into structure as art, and art as cultural touchstone.