Bowl

Unknown Artist

ca. 1840

Bowl by Unknown Artist

Medium

Tin-glazed earthenware

Dimensions

Diam. 15 7/8 in. (40.3 cm)

Classification

Bowl

Culture

Mexican

Department

The American Wing

Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Credit

Gift of Mrs. Robert W. de Forest, 1911

Accession Number

11.87.54

Tags

Flowers

Art Historical Context

This vibrant Mexican bowl, crafted around 1840 by an unknown artist, exemplifies the enduring of tin-glazed earthen, a technique with roots in Islamic and Renaissance ceramics that flourished in Mexico during the colonial era. The opaque white tin glaze provided a smooth canvas for bold, colorful designs—here likely featuring floral motifs, as suggested by its tags—allowing artisans to create durable, decorative objects for everyday use like serving food or displaying in homes. Measuring a generous 15⅞ inches in diameter, its practical size speaks to its role in domestic life. Housed in The M...

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