Six thirty, Friday evening. I'm staring at a row of Jingdezhen porcetain (the prized variety produced in age-old workships in Jiang Xi Province, central China) in all sizes and shapes, all featuring the trademark blue patterns. These are all from the Ming Dynasty, and the designs seem to tend towards broad brushes and bold iconism rather than the more exquisite lines and figures from more recent centuries. I'm no porcelain expert but I can appreciate the striking craftsmanship.
This is not an exhibition on Jingdezhen, or China, or anything to do with China specifically. This is 'Shah Abbas - the Remaking of Iran' at British Museum, where the golden era of an endlessly fascinating culture, a remarkable chapter in the religious history of humankind is illustrated by calligraphy, paintings, etchings, carpets of all sizes, lamp holders from shrines, and - in the centre of it all and visible from any corner of the beautiful old reading room, images of the great mosques that were built under the patronage of the Shah in Isfahan and Mashahad. The collection of Chinese porcelain was but a fraction of the Shah's treasure trove - many a vase, bowl, and plate travelled up the Silk Road to be housed in the richer homes of the Shiite kingdom.
I should be urging all our like-minded friends to make Friday late-night museum/gallery visits a habit except then the places might well be packed as a result, and the peace and quietude that makes it so appealing to us shall be no more. OK, this is pathetic paranoia. Do go. A one-hour walk through a superbly-curated, gem-packed exhibition like this (and this city happens to excel on such things) on your way home is a splendid way to cleanse your mind of the working week and start the weekend on a gratifyingly high note. When we went to the Rothko exhibition at Tate Modern on a Friday evening it was actually possible to sit in the middle of the vast room of all the Seagram Murals and contemplate at them for 10 minutes without a busload of people blocking your view in every direction. Exactly how the Seagrams are meant to be experienced. Friday evenings soaking up Babylon at British Museum and Byzantium at Royal Academy followed, each mind-enriching and heart-elating. And if you feel smug enough about achieving such an intellectual feat after a non-stop, exhausting week, there's always the option to treat yourself to a nice dinner afterwards which shall be enjoyed all the more with your new-gained knowledge. Even if it's a simple matter of knowing that the best-known Shah had a predilection for top-quality Jingdezhen (and a lesser-known one for beautiful, beardless page boys... find out for yourself). Bon apetit.
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