Lamp
Unknown Artist
13th–14th century
Medium
Earthenware; molded and glazed
Dimensions
H. 3 3/8 in. (8.6 cm) W. 4 5/16 in. (11 cm) Diam. 2 3/4 in. (7 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Herbert E. Winlock, 1941
Accession Number
41.23.5
Art Historical Context
This delicate earthenware lamp, crafted by an unknown artist in the th–14th century exemplifies the refined ceramics of the Islamic world. Standing just 3⅜ inches tall with a width of 4¼ inches, its modest dimensions belie its elegant form, likely designed as a portable oil lamp illuminating homes, mosques, or palaces. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's of Islamic Art, it was generously gifted by Herbert E. Winlock in 1941. The use of molded earthenware—shaped in a mold for precise, repeatable designs—combined with a glossy glaze, highlights innovative techniques that flourished durin...