Albarello Jar with an Aphorism
Unknown Artist
900s
Medium
Earthenware with underglaze decoration
Dimensions
h. 13 cm · diam. 9.7 cm
Classification
Ceramic
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
John L. Severance Fund
Accession Number
1996.298
About this artwork
The albarello was a jar designed to hold ointments and drugs for pharmacists. They were produced in the Middle East and Spain, as well as late medieval and Renaissance Italy. Albarellos are usually painted with floral, vegetal, or geometric designs. Arabic inscriptions are less common but here the elegant text reads: “Modesty [comes] from faith, and faith [comes] from Paradise,” attributed to the Prophet Muhammad.