Vessel with Splashed Decoration
Two techniques of decoration were used on this bowl excavated from Nishapur in eastern Iran. In a technique known as sgraffito, a festoon and leaf-like motifs were etched into a white slip that had been applied to the earthenware body and allowed to dry. The etching reveals the body of the bowl, in this case an earthy red fabric, which then stands out in contrast to the white slip to showcase the motif. Next, blobs of green, brown and yellow glazes were applied to the surface with a thin coating of transparent glaze. When the bowl was fired, these colored glazes were allowed to run down the sides of the bowl in the kiln, producing dramatic streaks on the steep exterior sides of the bowl. The combination of the sgraffito and splashing techniques was very popular in the medieval Islamic lands and examples have been attributed to production centers in Syria, Iraq, and Iran.
Artwork Details
- Title: Vessel with Splashed Decoration
- Date: 10th century
- Geography: Excavated in Iran, Nishapur
- Medium: Earthenware; white slip, incised and splashed with polychrome glazes under transparent glaze (sgraffito ware)
- Dimensions: H. 1 9/16 in. (4 cm)
Diam. 3 1/8 in. (8 cm) - Classification: Ceramics
- Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1936
- Object Number: 36.20.1
- Curatorial Department: Islamic Art
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
10th century
9th–10th century
9th–10th century
late 9th–early 10th century
10th century
Related Content
Publications
Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.
Free to download
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.