Fragment of a Bowl
Unknown Artist
9th–10th century
Medium
Earthenware; red body, white slip with manganese brown, red and yellow-black decoration under glaze
Dimensions
H. 4 3/16 in. (10.7 cm) W. 4 15/16 in. (12.5 cm) Thickness. 1/4 in. (0.7 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1940
Accession Number
40.170.476
Art Historical Context
This delicate fragment of a bowl, dating to the 9th–10th century, a glimpse into the vibrant of Islamic ceramics during a golden age of artistic innovation. Crafted from earthenware with a distinctive red body, it exemplifies technical sophistication of potters in regions like Iraq or Persia under the Abbasid Caliphate. Such vessels were everyday objects—used for serving food or water—yet elevated by skilled decoration, reflecting the Islamic emphasis on beauty in utilitarian arts. The bowl's surface features a white slip painted with manganese brown, red, and yellow-black motifs, all fired u...