Rare tiles from a 17th-century Iranian palace in Isfahan will go on display for the first time in a generation at a new exhibition at the V&A Dundee.
The panel dates from the reign of Safavid ruler Shah Abbas II (1642-1666) and originally decorated the wall of his private hammam (bathhouse) within the now-demolished Haft Dast Palace in Isfahan, central Iran.
The 4.5-metre wide tiles depict a garden paradise with fruit trees, flowering plants, and an ornate blue and yellow border.
Among its details are pomegranates, flower species accurate down to their horticultural use and climbing gourds that wrap around fruit-bearing trees.
James Wylie, project curator at V&A Dundee where the items will go on display this month, explained the significance of this "masterpiece" of Safavid art.
"This extraordinary tile panel from ancient Iran is a stunning embodiment of the garden as a symbol of power, paradise and cultural identity," he said.
"We are thrilled to display it at V&A Dundee for the first time in over two decades, following its meticulous conservation by our colleagues at National Museums Scotland [NMS].
"Including this rare treasure in the exhibition expands the story well beyond contemporary design, offering a rare glimpse into the universal and enduring human impulse to shape nature into meaning.
"This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to experience a masterpiece of Safavid art in a new light and to consider how gardens have always been spaces of imagination, beauty and political expression."
The display follows conservation work of the tiles by NMS – which acquired the items in 1899 – to remove 100-year-old overpainting and reveal more of the original design.
Conservators also reduced the weight of the supporting frame, making it possible to lend the item to another museum for the first time.
Friederike Voigt, principal curator of west, south and south-east Asian collections at NMS, described the piece as the only one of its kind to show "a complete composition" of the garden motif.
"Beautifully painted and rich in symbolism, it offers a tantalising glimpse into the splendour of the gardens at the Haft Dast Palace," she said. "Extensive conservation work has revealed it in its full glory and I'm delighted that it's going on display for the first time in a generation as part of this major exhibition."
The panel will form part of the V&A Dundee's Garden Futures: Designing With Nature exhibition that opens on May 17.
The exhibition is designed to take visitors on an "illuminating journey" through key moments of innovation in garden design from the 20th century to the present day, as well as offering a glimpse into the future.
