Fragment of a Bowl
Unknown Artist
13th–14th century
Medium
Stonepaste; underglaze painted
Dimensions
Ht. 3 15/16 in. (10 cm) W. 2 15/16 in. (7.5 cm) D. 1 in. (2.5 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1908
Accession Number
08.256.233
Art Historical Context
This delicate fragment of a bowl, hailing from the Islamic world of the 13th–14th century, offers a glimpse into the sophisticated ceramic traditions of the medieval Middle East. Though only a small piece—measuring about 4 inches high and 3 inches wide—it survives as a testament to the artistry of an unknown potter, likely from regions like Iran or Syria where such wares flourished under patronage of courts and mosques. Crafted in stonepaste, a innovative composite material blending quartz, clay, and frit, the bowl mimicked the prized translucency of Chinese porcelain, which was unavailable l...