Lamp
Unknown Artist
9th century
Medium
Earthenware; unglazed
Dimensions
H. 1 1/8 in. (2.8 cm) W. 3 3/4 in. (9.5 cm) D. 3 13/16 in. (9.7 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Noel E. Baker, 1952
Accession Number
52.130.16
Art Historical Context
This delicate earthenware lamp, crafted by an unknown artist in the9th century, offers a glimpse into the everyday life of the Islamic world during the Abbas era. Standing just 1 1/8 tall and measuring about 3 3/4 inches wide, its compact, unglazed form suggests it designed for practical use as an oil lamp, likely with vegetable oil and a wick for illuminating homes, mosques, or markets. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Islamic Department, it entered the collection as a gift from Noel E. Baker in 1952. Unglazed earthenware was a hallmark of early Islamic ceramics, prized for its aff...