Figurine of a Bovine
Unknown Artist
12th century
Medium
Stonepaste; transparent turquoise glaze (iridized)
Dimensions
Ht. 3 1/8 in. (7.9 cm) W. 3 5/16 in. (8.4 cm) D. 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm) Wt. 3.4 oz. (96.4 g)
Classification
Ceramics
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Theodore M. Davis Collection, Bequest of Theodore M. Davis, 1915
Accession Number
30.95.153
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate *Figurine of aine*, crafted in the 12th, exemplifies the ingenuity of Islamic ceramic artists from the medieval East. Standing just over three inches tall, this smallpaste sculpture—likely from regions like Iran or Syria—captures a sturdy, stylized cow with a serene expression, its form enlivened by a transparent turquoise glaze that shimmers with anidescent, jewel-like quality. Stonepaste, a composite of quartz, clay, and glass frit, was a revolutionary medium developed by Islamic potters around the 10th century to mimic the translucency of coveted Chinese porcelain, allowing fo...