1 / Converging Cultures
| Artist / Origin |
Unknown artist, Iznik, Turkey
Region: West Asia
|
|---|---|
| Date |
Ottoman period, late 16th century
Period: 1400 CE - 1800 CE
|
| Material |
Stone-paste painted under colorless glaze
Medium: Ceramics
|
| Dimensions | H: 2 5/8 in. (5.9 cm.), W: 12 ¾ in. (32.5 cm). |
| Location | Freer Gallery of Art, Washington, DC |
| Credit | Courtesy of the Freer Gallery or Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Galleries, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC |
expert perspective
| Ladan AkbarniaAssociate Curator of Islamic Art, Brooklyn Museum |
expert perspective
Ladan Akbarnia
Associate Curator of Islamic Art, Brooklyn Museum
“backThroughout time in the Islamic world, there has been this association of China with all things beautiful, with a high standard of excellence, high standard of skill, beauty, and this is reflected in the literature. And it’s no surprise then that there would be this interest in Chinese wares, such as porcelains. There were also attempts in the Islamic world to imitate the production of Chinese porcelain, but they couldn’t figure out exactly how that was done.
Around the twelfth century or so, artisans and craftsmen in the Islamic world developed a new type of ceramic known as fritware, which actually allowed the potters to create a base that would be white instead of this earthy or buff color. And that allowed them to imitate Chinese porcelain more closely. And that was a huge development for them.”