Fragment from the Base of a Bowl with "K" Monogram
13th-14th century
Medium
Glazed terracotta
Dimensions
H.: 2.8 cm (1 1/8 in.); At widest point: W.: 7 cm (2 3/4 in.)
Classification
fragment
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
92539
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Fragments of Byzantine pottery preserve decorative motifs that were placed on the base of each pot’s interior. They represent a range of geometric and abstract floral motifs - such as the distinctive letter "K" preserved on this fragment- that were created by cutting through the white slip, or glaze, to reveal the red earthenware beneath. This technique of engraved slipware is known as sgraffitto. Color washes in a range of greens and browns were then placed over the incised decoration. First de...
Art Historical Context
This modest yet captivating fragment from the base of a bowl, dating to the 13th-14th century, offers a glimpse into the refined world of late medieval ceramics from the Byzantine Empire. Crafted in glazed terracotta—a durable clay body coated with a glossy vitreous layer for both aesthetic appeal and practical waterproofing—the piece measures just 2.8 cm high and 7 cm wide. Its prominent "K" monogram, likely an incised or stamped owner's mark or christogram, hints at personal or devotional use in everyday life. In the Byzantine era, under the Palaiologos dynasty, pottery like this flourished amid cultural exchanges with the Islamic world and Western Europe. Glazed terracotta bowls were common household items, showcasing advanced kilning techniques that produced vibrant, iridescent finishes. Though only a fragment survives, it exemplifies the empire's enduring artistic legacy, blending functionality with subtle decoration. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Department of Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium, this artifact reminds us how even broken shards preserve stories of daily rituals, trade, and faith in one of history's most influential civilizations.
About the Artist
Byzantine
"Byzantine" is the collective attribution given to anonymous artists working within the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, whose creations spanned from the 4th to the 15th centuries, primarily in Constantinople and its cultural sphere. These masters produced a vast body of art that defined an era, with museums like the Walters Art Museum and the Art Institute of Chicago cataloging numerous works un...