Bowl

Art Historical Context

This elegant 12th-century bowl from the Islamic Art collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art the refined ceramic traditions of the medieval Islamic world. Crafted a composite body—a mixture of quartz, clay, and frit (glass powder)—and finished with a glossy glaze, it measures just 3¼ inches high and 7½ inches diameter, making it a perfect example of functional yet sophisticated tableware. The composite technique, pioneered in the 10th-11th centuries in regions like Iran and Syria, allowed potters to create durable, porcelain-like vessels that could withstand daily use while enabling intric...