Bowl With Musicians in a Garden

Unknown

late 12th–early 13th century · Stonepaste; glazed in opaque white, luster-painted · Islamic Art

Checkerboard cypresses, a stylized canopy, and a flying bird on this luster bowl symbolize the garden pavilion where two women play the lute and possibly sing. They sport tattooed hands and wear earrings, drop-shaped diadems, and dresses ornamented with harpies and scrolls, which aid in the evocation of a luxurious setting.

Artist

Unknown

Date

late 12th–early 13th century

Medium

Stonepaste; glazed in opaque white, luster-painted

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Horace Havemeyer, 1956