Fragment of an Imported Chinese Bowl
Chinese ceramics were highly valued and commonly imitated in Nishapur. The Nishapur imitations took different forms: the whiteness of the Chinese porcelains led local potters to develop the opaque white glazes with which they covered their wares, while the three-color sancai Chinese imports led to the invention of splashware, made by dripping brown, yellow, and green glazes over their pots. This medallion from the base of a bowl, with the molded image of a dragon with a flaming jewel, is an example of an imported Chinese sancai ware object; its find at Nishapur is an important piece of evidence in the story of Nishapuri pottery development.
Artwork Details
- Title: Fragment of an Imported Chinese Bowl
- Date: late 7th–first half 8th century
- Geography: Excavated in Iran, Nishapur. Made in China
- Medium: Earthenware; applied relief medallion under three color (sancai) glaze
- Dimensions: Diam. 2 5/8 in. (6.7 cm)
- Classification: Ceramics
- Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1938
- Object Number: 38.40.274
- Curatorial Department: Islamic Art
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