Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ceramics, Room 137, The Curtain Foundation Gallery

Bowl

ca. 1865 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Fez is an important centre for Moroccan pottery and is particularly associated with a distinctive form of blue and white ceramic ware which became popular in the late 19th century. These glazed Fassi (from Fez) wares were made by professional male potters as decorative tableware for urban consumers. Their style may have been influenced by the appearance of Chinese porcelain, historically made available through Mediterranean trade. Another factor was the availability of increasingly pure cobalt blue imported from Europe from the 1850s onwards.

Bowls like this, called zlafa, are used for drinking water, milk and, especially, harira, a traditional soup. The bowls are particularly associated with the month of Ramadan, when they are used at sunset to break the fast. This bowl was donated to the Museum of Practical Geology by George Maw, founder of Maw & Co., a British manufacturer of ceramic tiles, and transferred to the V&A in 1901.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Tin-glazed earthenware, painted in cobalt blue
Brief description
Bowl, tin-glazed eartheware, painted in blue, Morocco (Fez), ca. 1865
Physical description
Earthenware bowl glazed in white, with blue decoration on the exterior.
Dimensions
  • Height: 6.5cm
  • Diameter: 14cm
Credit line
Given by George Maw
Object history
Accessions register entry: 'Bowl of enamelled buff-coloured earthenware, painted in blue. MOORISH (Fez); 19th century. H. 2 in., diam. 5 1/2 in. Given by George Maw, Esq., F.G.S., F.S.A. Transferred from the Museum of Practical Geology, Jermyn Street.'
Summary
Fez is an important centre for Moroccan pottery and is particularly associated with a distinctive form of blue and white ceramic ware which became popular in the late 19th century. These glazed Fassi (from Fez) wares were made by professional male potters as decorative tableware for urban consumers. Their style may have been influenced by the appearance of Chinese porcelain, historically made available through Mediterranean trade. Another factor was the availability of increasingly pure cobalt blue imported from Europe from the 1850s onwards.

Bowls like this, called zlafa, are used for drinking water, milk and, especially, harira, a traditional soup. The bowls are particularly associated with the month of Ramadan, when they are used at sunset to break the fast. This bowl was donated to the Museum of Practical Geology by George Maw, founder of Maw & Co., a British manufacturer of ceramic tiles, and transferred to the V&A in 1901.
Collection
Accession number
4234-1901

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdMay 28, 2008
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest