Bowl with Arabic Proverb

late 10th–11th century

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 453

This large bowl is decorated with a calligraphic design reading “Forbearance is at first bitter to the taste, but in the end sweeter than honey. Blessing.” Arabic proverbs appearing on slip-painted ware from Nishapur and Samarqand often reference the social codes and moral etiquette of the period, which included a strong emphasis on hospitality and generosity, and sometimes allude their use as functional objects. This bowl’s red earthenware body was covered in white slip and decorated with motifs found on metal objects from the period, including the stippled ground.

Artwork Details

Title: Bowl with Arabic Proverb
Date: late 10th–11th century
Geography: Probably made in present-day Uzbekistan, Samarqand
Medium: Earthenware; white slip with polychrome slip decoration under transparent glaze
Dimensions: H. 4 3/8 in. (11.1 cm)
W. 14 3/4 in. (37.5 cm)
Classification: Ceramics
Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1956
Object Number: 56.44
Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

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