Fragment of a Bowl
Unknown Artist
13th–14th century
Medium
Stonepaste; underglaze painted
Dimensions
Ht. 4 5/16 in. (11 cm) W. 4 5/16 in. (11 cm) D. 1 3/16 in. (3 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1908
Accession Number
08.256.149
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. Crafted frompaste—a composite material of quartz, clay, and frit developed by Islamic artisans to imitate the translucent whiteness of coveted Chinese porcelain—it measures just 4 5/16 inches (11 cm) in height width, with a shallow depth of 1 3/16 inches (3 cm). The underglaze painting technique, where pigments are applied directly the unfired body before a transparent glaze and high-temperature firing, ensured vibran...