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Bowl

late 11th–early 12th century
Not on view
This bowl was most probably made in central or northern Iran in the 11th or 12th century, at a time when potters were experimenting with stonepaste, a new ceramic technology. Early stonepaste vessels were mostly monochrome glazed, in turquoise, purple, white, blue, with the occasional splash of a different color. On this bowl, the two-color glazed coating, dark purple and turquoise, creates a striking effect enhanced by the purple droppings inside the bowl. In contrast, the incised vegetal motif repeated on the exterior appears rather sober.

The bowl came to the Museum in 1920 together with a large group of objects bequeathed from the collection of the antique dealer William Milne Grinnell.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Bowl
  • Date: late 11th–early 12th century
  • Geography: Attributed to Iran
  • Medium: Stonepaste; glazed
  • Dimensions: H. 3 3/4 in. (9.5 cm)
    Diam. 6 1/4 in. (15.9 cm)
  • Classification: Ceramics
  • Credit Line: The Grinnell Collection, Bequest of William Milne Grinnell, 1920
  • Object Number: 20.120.216
  • Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

More Artwork

More Artwork
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Turquoise Bowl with Lute Player and Audience, Stonepaste; glazed (opaque monochrome), in-glaze- and overglaze-painted, gilded
Turquoise Bowl with Lute Player and Audience
late 12th–early 13th century
Luster Bowl with Winged Horse, Stonepaste; luster-painted on opaque monochrome glaze
Luster Bowl with Winged Horse
late 12th century
Mihrab (Prayer Niche), Mosaic of polychrome-glazed cut tiles on stonepaste body; set into mortar
Mihrab (Prayer Niche)
dated 755 AH/1354–55 CE
Pierced Jug with Harpies and Sphinxes, Stonepaste; openwork, underglaze-painted, glazed in transparent turquoise
Pierced Jug with Harpies and Sphinxes
dated 612 AH/1215–16 CE
Bowl With Musicians in a Garden, Stonepaste; glazed in opaque white, luster-painted
Bowl With Musicians in a Garden
late 12th–early 13th century

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