Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Islamic Middle East, Room 42, The Jameel Gallery

Dish

900-1000 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Iran (made)
Uzbekistan (made)

The small bowl has remarkably crisp carved black slip (liquid clay) decoration of high quality. It is an example of a distinctive ceramic tradition that developed in eastern Iran from the 10th century.

Potters there took inspiration from indigenous metalwork and applied decoration in slip (liquid clay) of contrasting colours, in this case a dramatic black on white. They used the coloured slips to create bold designs based on plants, interlace, as here, and other patterns.


Object details

Categories
Earthenware
Ceramics
Islam
Object type
Dish
Materials and techniques
Lead glazed earthenware dish with slip decoration
Earthenware
Slip
Glazing
Brief description
Lead glazed earthenware dish with slip decoration, Eastern Iran or Uzbekistan, 900-1000.
Physical description
Lead glazed earthenware dish decorated with white and black slips in floral scrolls under a transparent glaze.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 13.3cm
  • Height: 3.7cm
Style
Islamic
Gallery label
  • Jameel Gallery 14–15 Decorated Bowls Eastern Iran or Uzbekistan 900–1000 The potters of eastern Iran and Central Asia also used coloured slips to create bold designs based on plants, interlace and other patterns. In the smaller bowl, the crisp decoration was created by carving away a layer of black slip. The designs on the larger bowl were painted in slip. Earthenware with slip decoration under a transparent glaze Museum nos. C.104-1957; C.92-1969, Given by Lady Mallet (2006)
  • Bowl Lead-glazed earthenware with slip decoration. EAST PERSIAN (probably NISHAPUR); 9th -10th century. Given by Lady Mallet in memory of Sir Victor Mallet, G.C.M.G.(Used until 11/2003)
Credit line
Given by Lady Mallet in memory of Sir Victor Mallet GCMG
Object history
Formerly in the Mallet Collection.
Subject depicted
Floral Scrolls
Summary
The small bowl has remarkably crisp carved black slip (liquid clay) decoration of high quality. It is an example of a distinctive ceramic tradition that developed in eastern Iran from the 10th century.

Potters there took inspiration from indigenous metalwork and applied decoration in slip (liquid clay) of contrasting colours, in this case a dramatic black on white. They used the coloured slips to create bold designs based on plants, interlace, as here, and other patterns.
Bibliographic references
  • The Arts of Islam, Catalogue of the exhibition held at the Hayward Gallery, 8 April - 4 July, 1976, The Arts Council of Great Britain, 1976. 396p., ill. ISBN 0 7287 0081 6 paper bound, 07287 0080 8 cloth bound. Catalogue entry 283, p.24
  • Islamic Pottery 800-1400, London, Victoria & Albert Museum, 1969, p. 18, no.37
Collection
Middle East Section
Accession number
C.92-1969

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Record createdNovember 4, 2003
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O85132/dish-unknown/
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