


Syria
Composite body; luster-painted
Total H. 8 in. (20.3 cm); Bowl H. 5 1/8 in. (13 cm); Lid H. 3 5/8 in. (9.2 cm); Max. Diam. 5 1/2 in. (14 cm)
Purchase, Lila Acheson Wallace Gift, Harvey and Elizabeth Plotnick Gift, and Louis E. and Theresa S. Seley Purchase Fund for Islamic Art, 1998 (1998.298ab)
This type of luster-painted pottery is known as Tell Minis, after the name of a village in central Syria where a number of these ceramics were found, though there is no evidence proving they were potted there. The condition of this well-proportioned lidded bowl is exceptional, since its surface retains a lustrous quality. The band with vegetal scrolls under the rim offers a pleasant chromatic contrast, and the sequence of partridges atop the lid animates and enhances the decoration. The prominent inscription, in kufic, is an aphorism praising the virtues of patience.







