Brooklyn Museum

Bowl with Kufic Inscription

9th century

1 of 3

Object Label

A white tin glaze covers the dark clay body of this bowl, but was meant to give the appearance of Chinese porcelain, which was treasured in the Middle East at this time. Although Middle Eastern potters had not yet discovered the secret to porcelain, they had developed a formula for drawing with cobalt, a technique the Chinese had yet to master. (The Chinese example shown adjacent, from roughly the same period, has pooled cobalt glaze that must be contained within carved lines to keep it from smearing during firing.) The inscription here, written in cobalt in the early Arabic script known as Kufic, reads, “Made by Abu al-Taqi.”

Caption

Bowl with Kufic Inscription, 9th century. Ceramic; earthenware, painted in cobalt blue on an opaque white glaze, 2 1/2 x 8 5/8 in. (6.4 x 21.9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the Ernest Erickson Foundation, Inc., 86.227.14. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 86.227.14_top_PS2.jpg)

Title

Bowl with Kufic Inscription

Date

9th century

Dynasty

`Abbasid

Period

Abbasid period

Medium

Ceramic; earthenware, painted in cobalt blue on an opaque white glaze

Classification

Ceramic

Dimensions

2 1/2 x 8 5/8 in. (6.4 x 21.9 cm)

Signatures

Signed: "the work of Abu al-Taqi"

Inscriptions

مما عمل أبو التقي made by Abu al-Taqi The Inscription read by Abdullah Ghouchani

Credit Line

Gift of the Ernest Erickson Foundation, Inc.

Accession Number

86.227.14

Rights

Creative Commons-BY

You may download and use Brooklyn Museum images of this three-dimensional work in accordance with a Creative Commons license. Fair use, as understood under the United States Copyright Act, may also apply. Please include caption information from this page and credit the Brooklyn Museum. If you need a high resolution file, please fill out our online application form (charges apply). For further information about copyright, we recommend resources at the United States Library of Congress, Cornell University, Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and Museums, and Copyright Watch. For more information about the Museum's rights project, including how rights types are assigned, please see our blog posts on copyright. If you have any information regarding this work and rights to it, please contact copyright@brooklynmuseum.org.

Frequent Art Questions

  • Can you tell me more about this bowl and how it was made?

    This bowl was wheel thrown meaning its shape was created while the clay was spinning on a potter’s wheel. The potter then covered the surface with a tin-based glaze to create a white ground for the writing, which was then painted on in cobalt. Finally, the vessel was fired. The white color was meant to mimic porcelain and the blue decoration was also influenced by the influx of Chinese ceramics to Iraq via the Silk Road. The inscription is like an ostentatious maker’s mark; it reads: “among the works of of Abu’l Taqi (Father of the Pious One).”
    It looks very graceful
    Indeed! The elaborate script is a popular form of decoration in the Islamic world and this style of script is called “Kufic.” The popularity of calligraphy stems from the exalted position of the Qur’an itself in Islam.

  • Do you know what type of clay and coloring was used for this?

    The clay was likely locally sourced (in Iraq). It’s naturally brownish, but Abbasid potters in the 9th century had developed a glazing technique, seen here, to create a white surface with a tin-based glaze. On this surface, the blue, cobalt pigment was applied before firing.

  • Would you say this was for ordinary everyday use?

    This bowl was a luxury item, but it was certainly meant to be used. It may have been reserved for special occasions or for a wealthy family.
    Ok, thank you very much for answering my question.

  • I love the asymmetry of this Kufic inscription Bowl.

    Yes! The artistic application of calligraphy has been and continues to be a major part of art in the Islamic world. The script identifies the name of the maker Abu-al-Taqi.

  • Tell me everything about this beautiful piece, mostly about the significance of having the signature.

    This bowl was wheel thrown, meaning shaped on a potter's wheel. The surface was then covered with a tin-based glaze to create a white ground for the blue writing, which was executed in cobalt. Finally, the vessel was fired.
    The white color was meant to mimic porcelain and the cobalt-based blue decoration originated in Persia.
    The decorative signature speaks to the calligraphy tradition in the Islamic world, and, more specifically, was likely valued by collectors as a way to display that their pieces came from famous workshops.

  • Was it common for ceramic art like this to have the only decoration be the artists signature?

    While the name of the artist wasn't as common, the role of writing as an art form was quite prominent in the Abbasid Caliphate.
    The name of the craftsman incorporated into the design is thought by some to be a valuable addition for patrons who wanted to display their collections from famous workshops.
    So this artist would have been well known? Collectors would see that name and know who he was?
    Yes! they would have known the artist and his associated workshop, which if this is the case, was likely one of great quality and prestige.
    So it’s like a brand.
    Yes, exactly.
    Guess we’ve never been able to get away from branding haha!
    Thanks for answering my questions!

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