Star-Shaped Tile
Unknown Artist
dated A.H. 663/ 1265 CE
Medium
Stonepaste; luster-painted with touches of cobalt on opaque white glaze under transparent glaze
Dimensions
H. 8 in. (20.3 cm) W. 8 in. (20.3 cm) Wt. (whole group): 51 lbs. (23.1 kg)
Classification
Ceramics-Tiles
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
H.O. Havemeyer Collection, Gift of Horace Havemeyer, 1941
Accession Number
41.165.25
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite star-shaped tile, dated A.H. 663 (1265 CE), hails from the Islamic world during a golden age of ceramic innovation. Crafted from stonepaste—a composite body mimicking porcelain's fineness—it exemplifies the technical mastery of medieval Islamic potters. The tile's surface shimmers with luster-painting, where metallic oxides create an iridescent glow over an opaque white glaze, accented by subtle cobalt touches under a transparent top layer. Measuring 8 inches square, it formed part of a larger architectural ensemble, as evidenced by the 51-pound weight of the group. Lusterware ...