Tile with Image of Phoenix
Unknown Artist
late 13th century
Medium
Stonepaste; modeled, underglaze painted in blue and turquoise, luster-painted on opaque white ground
Dimensions
H. 14 3/4 in. (37.5 cm) W. 14 1/4 inl (36.2 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Tiles
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1912
Accession Number
12.49.4
Tags
About this artwork
This ceramics-tiles exemplifies the artistic traditions of its period. Created late 13th century, it demonstrates the stonepaste; modeled, underglaze painted in blue and turquoise, luster-painted on opaque white ground technique characteristic of its era.
Art Historical Context
Behold the striking *Tile with Image of Phoenix a masterpiece of late 13th-century Islamic from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Islamic Art collection. Crafted by an artist using stonepaste—a fine, vitreous body developed in the Islamic world—this square tile measures about 15 inches across and vividly depicts a majestic phoenix, a mythical bird symbolizing rebirth and eternity. Acquired through the Rogers Fund in 2, it captures the era's innovative fusion of artistry and craftsmanship. The tile's medium is a marvel: modeled in relief, then underglaze painted in rich blues and turquoises, an...