Artheon MuseumArtheonMuseum

Fragment

Unknown Artist

9th century

Fragment by Unknown Artist

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...

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