This dish was created during the Abassid period in Iraq. The white clay slip used between the earthenware clay and the glaze used to mimic the pure whiteness of Chinese porcelain is the most technologically advanced element of this dish. This advancement allowed Islamic artisans to cover up the light brown color of earthenware clay […]
Dish with Lotus Pattern
The Dish with Lotus Pattern created in the 16th century in Iran demonstrates how Chinese blue and white style porcelain was adapted to reflect the desires and tastes of consumers at the time through the exhibition of Islamic motifs.It is made from stonepaste, a technical innovation that allowed for almost perfect replication of Chinese porcelain. […]
Golden Horn Dish
The Golden Horn Dish created in the 16th century is an early Inzik piece that reveals how Ottoman artisans adopted and transformed Chinese ceramic motifs into something radically new. Inzik ceramics was initially created to meet the demands of the Ottoman sultans who highly prized Chinese ceramics. It was during the height of the Ottoman […]
Platter with Fish Pattern
The Platter with Fish Pattern is one example of many forms of Chinese blue and white ceramics created for export in the 14th century (Garner). The blue and white style of pottery was first created in the early 12th century but did not gain popularity in China until the Ming dynasty from the 14th to […]
Dish with Two Intertwined Dragons
Description and Visual Analysis The Dish with Two Intertwined Dragons is a visually complex but well-balanced example of Chinese inspired porcelain. While there is only one color glaze on this dish, the variety of tone implies a shallow depth of space. For example, the two central dragons overlap each other and form a symmetrical […]
Abbasid Ceramics
“It is not until the Abbasid period that a distinct type and style of ceramic ware emerged that can be distinguished technically as ‘Islamic’.” The most notable contribution the Abbasids made to ceramics was the development of new techniques that allowed for a wider range of ceramic designs and styles. These changes also demonstrate the […]
Oleg Grabar
“This point is important in defining an essential aspect of early Islamic culture, the conscious attempt to relate meaningfully to the conquered word, by Islamizing forms and ideas of old.” (68-69) I agree with Grabars claim based off the evidence visible in key Islamic relics and other pieces of artwork. Grabar was trying to […]
Umayyad Architecture
“Umayyad art is a combination of decorative styles of motifs drawn from different artistic traditions” Umayyad art was heavily influenced by other cultures and artist styles because of the rapid expansion of Islam and the tendency to appropriate other cultures artist styles. These two factors and the fact that Islam allows other groups like Christianity and Judaism to […]