Bowl
Unknown Artist
1700–50
Medium
Earthenware; luster-painted on opaque white glaze
Dimensions
H. 4 1/8 in. (10.5 cm) Diam. 15 15/16 in. (40.5 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Lewis Balamuth, 1968
Accession Number
68.215.6
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant bowl, crafted by an unknown artist between 0 and 1750, exemplifies the refined ceramics of the Islamic world. Made of earthenware coated in an opaque white glaze—a tin-based technique that created a smooth, porcelain-like surface—it measures a generous 15 15/16 inches in diameter, perfect for communal dining or displaying fruits. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Art Department, it was generously gifted by Dr. and Mrs. Lewis Baluth in 1968. The standout feature is its luster-painting, a sophisticated method where metallic oxides were applied over the fired glaze and refi...