Lamp
Unknown Artist
13th–14th century
Medium
Earthenware; glazed
Classification
Ceramics
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Herbert E. Winlock, 1941
Accession Number
41.23.3
Art Historical Context
This exquisite glazed earthenware lamp, dating to the 13th–14th century, hails from the vibrant world of Islamic art. Crafted by an unknown artist, it exemplifies the sophisticated ceramics produced during a golden age of Islamic craftsmanship, when potters across the Middle East and North Africa mastered the art of glazing to create luminous, functional objects. Such lamps were essential for illuminating mosques, homes, and palaces, often filled with oil and a wick to cast a warm glow during evening prayers or gatherings. The medium—earthenware coated in a glossy glaze—highlights a key innov...