Fragment of a Bowl
Unknown Artist
14th–15th century
Medium
Earthenware; incised decoration through a white slip and coloring under transparent glaze
Dimensions
H. 3 3/16 in. (8.1 cm) Diam. 6 13/16 in. (17.3 cm) Wt. 14.2 oz. (402.6 g)
Classification
Ceramics
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1907
Accession Number
07.238.11
Art Historical Context
This delicate fragment of a bowl, dating to the 14th–15th century, offers a glimpse into the refined world of Islamic ceramics from the medieval Islamic world, likely produced in regions like Persia or Central Asia. Though only a portion survives—measuring 3 3/16 inches high and 6 13/16 inches in diameter—it evokes the everyday elegance of tableware used by merchants, scholars, and elites during a golden age of cultural exchange along the Silk Road. Crafted from earthenware, the bowl features incised decoration carved through a white slip—a creamy layer applied over the clay body—revealing co...