Jar
Unknown Artist
late 12th–first half 13th century
Medium
Stonepaste; underglaze painted in blue, luster-painted on transparent glaze
Dimensions
H. 9 3/8 in. (23.8 cm) Max. diam. 6 3/4 in. (17.1 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
H.O. Havemeyer Collection, Gift of Horace Havemeyer, 1948
Accession Number
48.113.15
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant jar, crafted by an unknown artist in the 12th to first half of the 13 century, exemplifies the pinnacle of medieval Islamic ceramics. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of Islamic Art, it 9 3/8 inches tall with a maximum diameter of 6 3/4 inches, making it a practical yet luxurious vessel likely used for storing oils, perfumes, or spices in affluent households. Made from stonepaste—a fine, white-firing body developed in the Islamic world to mimic Chinese porcelain—the jar features underglaze painting in vibrant blue and luster decoration over a transparent glaz...