Dish
Unknown Artist
15th–16th century
Medium
Earthenware; tin-glazed and luster-painted
Dimensions
H. 2 5/8 in. (6.7 cm) Diam. 16 7/8 in. (42.9 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
68.215.3
Tags
Art Historical Context
This stunning 15th–16th century dish, crafted from earthenware with a tin-glaze and luster-painting, exemplifies the exquisite ceramics of the Islamic world. Measuring nearly 17 inches in diameter only about 2.5 inches high, its shallow form was ideal for serving communal dishes of fruits, sweets, or spiced delicacies in affluent households. The shimmering luster—a metallic iridescence achieved by applying metallic oxides over the glaze and firing in a reduced-oxygen kiln—created a jewel-like glow, a technique perfected by Islamic potters since the 9th century and highly prized across Mediterr...