MATERIALS

Materials

Ceramics

Ceramics

Within the field of ceramics, China was the great source of inspiration for the Middle East. Although Muslim potters never managed to make coveted porcelain, they did invent tin-glazed earthenware: faience. They further developed fritware, introduced lusterware and underglaze painting, and mastered many other decoration techniques.

In 13th-century Iran, there were so many different types of ceramics that no comparable variation was found until the 19th century, in Europe.

Although ceramics can break, it does not decompose and cannot be recycled, so this is the group of works of art from the Islamic world that is best preserved.

EXPLORE

EXPLORE
Close-item Close-overlay
ISLAMIC ART: CERAMICS

Islamic Art: Ceramics

Item no. 17 of 52
Btn-link Link to this page Btn-print Print this page

Fritware jug, with molded and openwork decoration and with splashes of blue under a transparent glaze

Iran, Kashan; end of 12th century
H: 15 cm

Hard-fired, thin fritware with openwork decoration covered by a transparent glaze was the closest Muslim ceramists came to delicate white Chinese porcelain.

Fritware is a manmade material consisting of crushed quartz, crushed glaze, and white clay. It gained ground in the course of the 12th century and made it possible to create more refined types of pottery than the ones that could be made with clay. There is still discussion about whether the discovery was made in Egypt or Iran.

The Arabic saying on the jug translates as, “The taste of mildness [or wisdom] is first bitter, then sweeter than honey.”

Inv. no. 40/1966