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Bowl with a Horseman Spearing a Serpent

late 1300s or early 1400s
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 307
The city of Málaga in the Islamic kingdom of Granada was one of the earliest centers for the production of lusterware in Spain. The virtuosity of its wares, notable for their dense patterns of shimmering gold, often accented with blue, was renowned. One medieval writer, describing the extraordinary reach of Málagan ceramics, claimed that "all countries clamor for it." The choice of decoration was sometimes indebted to Islamic motifs but could also be drawn from Western imagery, as is the case with this representation of a horseman spearing a serpent, perhaps inspired by the legend of Saint George and the dragon.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Bowl with a Horseman Spearing a Serpent
  • Date: late 1300s or early 1400s
  • Geography: Made in probably Málaga, Spain
  • Culture: Spanish
  • Medium: Tin-glazed earthenware
  • Dimensions: Overall: 3 5/8 x diam. 17 5/16 in. (9.2 x diam. 44 cm)
    depth of dish: 3 in. (7.6 cm)
  • Classification: Ceramics
  • Credit Line: Gift of George Blumenthal, 1941
  • Object Number: 41.100.173
  • Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters

Audio

Cover Image for 3180. Basin with a Horseman Spearing a Serpent

3180. Basin with a Horseman Spearing a Serpent

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TIMOTHY HUSBAND: This large ceramic basin is an extremely fine and early example of Spanish lusterware.

NARRATOR: Timothy Husband is a Curator at the Museum.

TIMOTHY HUSBAND: This was a technique that actually was introduced to the Iberian Peninsula by the Muslims. But it was learned and exploited largely in the fifteenth century by Christian and Mudéjar craftsmen, mostly located in and around Valencia. Represented here is Saint George and the dragon. So clearly the subject is Christian, and presumably the intended clientele as well. But indicating the origins of the technique the shields around the edges are actually a reduction of the coats of arms of the Nazareth kings in Cordoba. So, you have a mixture of both Christian and Islamic influence.

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