Figure of a Predatory Bird
Unknown Artist
12th–13th century
Medium
Stonepaste; monochrome glazed
Dimensions
H. 14 3/4 in. (37.5 cm) W. 14 1/2 in. (36.8 cm) D. 9 1/4 in. (23.5 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Joan L. Simon, Elizabeth L. Eisenstein, Virginia L. Kahn, Dr. Marjorie G. Lewisohn, 1954
Accession Number
54.152.2
Tags
Art Historical Context
This striking *Figure of a Predatory*, crafted in the 12th–13th, exemplifies the ingenuity of Islamic ceramic artistry. Carved from stonepaste—a composite material of quartz, clay, and frit developed in the Islamic world—this monochrome-glazed sculpture stands at nearly 15 inches tall, capturing the fierce poise of a raptor in mid-stride or perch. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Art Department, it was generously gifted in 1954 by a group of donors including Joan L. Simon and others. Stonepaste ceramics emerged around this period, primarily in regions like Iran and Syria, as artisan...