Bowl
10th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This bowl represents an early development in Iraqi lustre ceramics. In the initial phase of lustre production, potters used two metallic pigments. Here the potter has used only one, but now it has a more reflective surface. The decoration was inspired by the silverware of the period, which was sometimes decorated with humans and animals. Even the dotted background reproduces the texture of silver.
Potters in Iraq invented the technique of lustre decoration on ceramics in the 9th century. First they made a glazed vessel or tile with little or no decoration in the normal way. When the piece had cooled, a design was painted over the glaze in metallic compounds. The pot or tile was then fired again, this time with a restricted supply of oxygen. In these conditions, the metallic compounds broke down, and a thin deposit of copper or silver was left on the surface of the glaze. When polished, this surface layer reflected the light.
Potters in Iraq invented the technique of lustre decoration on ceramics in the 9th century. First they made a glazed vessel or tile with little or no decoration in the normal way. When the piece had cooled, a design was painted over the glaze in metallic compounds. The pot or tile was then fired again, this time with a restricted supply of oxygen. In these conditions, the metallic compounds broke down, and a thin deposit of copper or silver was left on the surface of the glaze. When polished, this surface layer reflected the light.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Tin-glazed earthenware (fritware) with in-painted and lustre decoration |
| Brief description | Bowl, whiteware, inscribed in blue and lustre-painted in yellow with a deer; Iraq (probably Basra), 10th century. |
| Physical description | Small bowl, buff-coloured earthenware (fritware), shallow with curving rim on a low broad footring, covered in an opaque white glaze, in-glaze painted in cobalt blue with a single radial inscription and painted in a silver-rich yellow lustre with a stag in a contour panel against a dotted or stippled ground. The exterior with concentric circles of varied width and dotted lines |
| Dimensions |
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| Styles | |
| Gallery label |
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| Object history | Purchsed for £20 from Mr. R. Hormozdiar, 44 rue de Levis, Paris 17e |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This bowl represents an early development in Iraqi lustre ceramics. In the initial phase of lustre production, potters used two metallic pigments. Here the potter has used only one, but now it has a more reflective surface. The decoration was inspired by the silverware of the period, which was sometimes decorated with humans and animals. Even the dotted background reproduces the texture of silver. Potters in Iraq invented the technique of lustre decoration on ceramics in the 9th century. First they made a glazed vessel or tile with little or no decoration in the normal way. When the piece had cooled, a design was painted over the glaze in metallic compounds. The pot or tile was then fired again, this time with a restricted supply of oxygen. In these conditions, the metallic compounds broke down, and a thin deposit of copper or silver was left on the surface of the glaze. When polished, this surface layer reflected the light. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.350-1930 |
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| Record created | January 28, 1998 |
| Record URL |
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