Bowl with Black Foliate Arabesque and Pseudo-Inscription
12th-13th century
Description
At the center of this bowl, a freely painted, leafy arabesque grows out of a six-lobed core. Around the walls a rhythmic pseudo-epigraphic band radiates upward, and triangular dabs of black ring the rim. On the exterior, willow-reed motifs alternate with pairs of tapering, vertical stripes. At some point in the past, this bowl was reassembled from fragments and overpainted to integrate the plaster fills. The turquoise glaze covers the interior and exterior, stopping well short of the foot ring, which has an unusual taper.
Dimensions
7.4 x 19.8 cm (2 15/16 x 7 13/16 in.)
Provenance
Stanford and Norma Jean Calderwood, Belmont, MA (by 1974-2002), gift; to Harvard Art Museums, 2002.
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