Dish
Unknown Artist
17th century
Medium
Stonepaste; underglaze painted in black, blue, and green with red and yellow slips
Dimensions
H. 3 in. (7.6 cm) Diam. 13 in. (33 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Henry G. Leberthon Collection, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. A. Wallace Chauncey, 1957
Accession Number
57.61.8
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant 17th-century dish the Islamic world exemplifies the refined ceramics tradition of the period. Crafted from stonepaste—a composite body of quartz, clay, and frit that mimicked Chinese porcelain's translucency— it measures a generous 13 inches in diameter, ideal for serving communal meals. The underglaze painting technique, where pigments in black, blue, and were applied directly to the unfired body before a transparent glaze and final firing, ensured durable, vibrant colors. Red and yellow slips added lively accents, highlighting intricate floral motifs that evoke blooming gardens....