Bowl
Unknown Artist
9th century
Medium
Earthenware; white slip with black slip decoration under transparent glaze
Dimensions
H. 1 13/16 in (4.6 cm) Diam. 4 3/4 in. (12.1 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1938
Accession Number
38.40.164
Art Historical Context
This delicate 9th-century earthen bowl, standing just 1 13/16 inches tall and 4 3/4 inches in diameter exemplifies the refined ceramic artistry of the early Islamic world. Crafted with a white slip base adorned by black slip decoration and sealed under a transparent glaze, it reveals the sophisticated techniques developed during the Abbasid Caliphate. The slip—essentially liquefied clay—was applied in intricate patterns before glazing and firing, creating a glossy, durable surface that protected the vivid contrasts while allowing the bowl to serve both practical and aesthetic purposes in daily...