Fragment of a Bowl
Unknown Artist
9th century
Medium
Earthenware; glazed
Dimensions
H. 1 9/16 in. (3.9 cm) W. 3 5/8 in. (9.2 cm) D. 2 11/16 in. (6.9 cm) Th. 2 3/4 in. (7 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Noel E. Baker, 1952
Accession Number
52.130.1
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Fragment of a Bowl* the 9th century visitors into the vibrant world of early Islamic ceramics, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Islamic Art department Measuring a modest H. 1 9/16 in. (3.9 cm) by W. 3 /8 in. (9.2 cm), this surviving piece of earthenware, gifted by Noel E. Baker in 1952, hints at the everyday elegance of Abbasid-era tableware. Crafted by an unknown artist, the bowl's glazed surface represents a hallmark of Islamic pottery innovation. Glazing transformed humble earthenware into durable, lustrous vessels capable of showcasing bold colors and patterns—te...