Ewer
Unknown Artist
12th century
Medium
Stonepaste; painted in luster and blue on opaque white glaze under transparent colorless glaze
Dimensions
H. 7 7/16 in. (18.9 cm) Gr. Diam. 5 3/8 in. (13.7 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
H.O. Havemeyer Collection, Gift of Horace Havemeyer, 1948
Accession Number
48.113.17
Art Historical Context
This elegant 12th-century e, crafted from stonepaste—a composite ceramic body developed by Islamic artisans to imitate the translucency of Chinese porcelain—stands as a testament to the ingenuity of medieval Islamic potters. Standing just over 7 inches tall with a graceful spout and flared base, it served as a practical vessel for pouring water, essential for ritual ablutions in daily life and religious practice. The ewer's surface dazzles with intricate painting in shimmering luster (a metallic oxide fired to produce an iridescent glow) and deep blue motifs over an opaque white glaze, sealed...