Bowl wih Vegetal Decoration
13th/14th century
Medium
Fritware painted in black under a transparent turquoise glaze
Dimensions
8 × 33.1 cm (3 3/16 × 13 1/16 in.)
Classification
ceramics
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
10830
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Bowl with Vegetal Decoration*, crafted in the 13th or 14th century, the pinnacle of Islamic ceramic artistry from the medieval Islamic world, likely Persia (modern-day Iran). Made of fritware—a composite of quartz, clay, and frit that mimicked the translucency of coveted Chinese porcelain—this shallow bowl (8 × 33.1 cm) features black-painted motifs of lush foliage and floral scrolls under a vibrant turquoise glaze. The turquoise hue, achieved through copper oxide, was a hallmark of Kashan workshops during the Ilkhanid period, blending technical innovation with aesthetic splend...
About the Artist
Islamic
Islamic art, a profound visual tradition originating in the 7th century CE, flourished across vast territories from Spain to India under Muslim rule, encompassing architecture, ceramics, manuscripts, textiles, and metalwork produced by diverse artisans rather than a single named master. Drawing from pre-Islamic Sasanian, Byzantine, and late antique influences, its early development under the Umayy...