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Bowl with Courtly and Astrological Motifs

late 12th–early 13th century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 453
The figures and decoration on the interior of this bowl combine imagery of the courtly cycle and astronomy. In the center the sun is surrounded by personifications of the planets (clockwise) Mars, Mercury, Venus, the moon, Saturn, and Jupiter. Islamic astronomers believed the planets orbited the earth, forming seven concentric circles. An eighth, outer sphere contained the constellations and signs of the zodiac, possibly represented by the six large and twelve small gold circles between the planets’ heads.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Bowl with Courtly and Astrological Motifs
  • Date: late 12th–early 13th century
  • Geography: Attributed to Central or Northern Iran
  • Medium: Stonepaste; polychrome inglaze and overglaze painted and gilded on opaque monochrome glaze (mina'i)
  • Dimensions: H. 3 3/4 in. (9.5 cm)
    Diam. 7 3/8 in. (18.7 cm)
    Wt. 14 oz. (396.9 g)
  • Classification: Ceramics
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Rogers Fund, and Gift of The Schiff Foundation, 1957
  • Object Number: 57.36.4
  • Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

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