Fragment
Unknown Artist
9th century
Medium
Earthenware; molded decoration, glazed
Classification
Ceramics
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Wendell M. Hastings, 1960
Accession Number
60.23.26
Art Historical Context
This exquisite earthenware fragment from the 9th century offers a glimpse into the vibrant world of early Islamic ceramics. Crafted during the Abbasid Caliphate—a golden age of Islamic art and science—this piece exemplifies the innovative techniques emerging in regions like Iraq and Persia. The molded decoration, created by pressing clay into intricately carved molds before firing, allowed artisans to produce repeating patterns with remarkable precision, often featuring geometric motifs or stylized flora that symbolized paradise gardens in Islamic culture. The application of a glossy glaze no...