Ewer with Molded Inscriptions, Animals, and Dancers
Unknown Artist
last quarter 11th or 12th century
Medium
Stonepaste; molded, monochrome glazed
Dimensions
H. 11 1/2 in. (29.2 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Cora Timken Burnett Collection of Persian Miniatures and Other Persian Art Objects, Bequest of Cora Timken Burnett, 1956
Accession Number
57.51.16
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite ewer, crafted in the last quarter of the11th or 12th century, hails from the Islamic world, likely Persia during the Seljuk period. Standing at 11½ inches tall, it served as a luxurious vessel for pouring water or rosewater in elite households, blending everyday utility with opulent artistry. Its surface features molded reliefs of inscriptions, lively animals, and graceful dancers—vivid snapshots of courtly life, entertainment, and festivity that prized in medieval Islamic society. Made from stonepaste (also called fritware), a innovative ceramic body developed by Islamic potte...