Stonepaste Bowl with Blue and Black Underglaze Painting
Unknown Artist
late 12th century
Medium
Stonepaste; glazed and incised
Dimensions
H. 4 3/4 in. (12.1 cm) Diam. 7 in. (17.8 cm) Wt. 20.4 oz. (578.4 g)
Classification
Ceramics
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
H.O. Havemeyer Collection, Gift of Horace Havemeyer, 1945
Accession Number
45.153.4
Art Historical Context
This elegant stonepaste bowl, crafted in the late 12th, exemplifies the pinnacle of Islamic ceramic artistry from the medieval Islamic world, likely Iran or Syria. Measuring just under 5 inches tall and 7 inches in diameter its sturdy yet refined form—made from a quartz-based stonepaste body—was designed for practical use as tableware while serving as a canvas for sophisticated decoration. The underglaze painting in vibrant blues and stark blacks, combined with incised details, creates dynamic patterns that would have shimmered under candlelight in a wealthy household. Stonepaste, or fritware...