Black and Blue Painted Bowl
Unknown Artist
early 13th century
Medium
Stonepaste; polychrome painted under transparent glaze
Dimensions
H. 3 7/8 in. (9.8 cm) Diam. of rim: 8 13/16 in. (22.4 cm) H. of base: 13/16 (2.1 cm) Diam. of base: 3 7/16 in. (8.7 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, 1964
Accession Number
64.256
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Black and Blue Painted Bowl crafted in the early 13th century exemplifies the pinnacle of Islamic ceramic artistry from the medieval Islamic world. Made of stonepaste—a refined fritware body composed of quartz, clay, and glass frit—the bowl features bold polychrome decoration in black and blue pigments applied under a transparent glaze. This technique, perfected in regions like Iran and Syria, created durable, luminous surfaces that mimicked the prized Chinese porcelain while showcasing local innovation. Measuring just under 4 inches tall with an 8 7/8-inch rim diameter, its el...