Name of Object:

Dish with triangle decoration

Location:

Rome, Italy

Holding Museum:

Museum of Civilisations | Museum of Oriental Art “Giuseppe Tucci”

About Museum of Civilisations | Museum of Oriental Art “Giuseppe Tucci”, Rome

Date of Object:

Hegira 10th century / AD 16th century

Museum Inventory Number:

9764/ 8483

Material(s) / Technique(s):

Lustre-painted ceramic.

Dimensions:

Height 4.5 cm, diameter 34 cm

Period / Dynasty:

Production linked to Mudéjar art

Provenance:

Spain, Valencian workshop.

Description:

A bossed dish with a broad brim painted in brown lustre on a cream background. The main decorative motif is a ring of triangles around the inner edge of the brim, painted in solid lustre. The brim also bears another similar motif in carved lines that is for the most part separate from the painted decoration. Between the triangles there are, alternately, stars and dots, known as ‘solfas’ or musical notes, and spiral motifs on a striped background, along with large dots and curl patterns. In only one instance is the solfas motif repeated twice consecutively. A thick lustre band marks the outer edge of the brim. An inscription, contained by two thick bands of solid lustre, surround the hemispheric boss, which is decorated with a three-petalled flower. The outside of the dish is painted in brown-red lustre with concentric circles following a spiral pattern.

This bossed dish, produced in the Valencia area, is principally decorated with triangles and motifs known as solfas (musical notes).

How Object was obtained:

Purchase.

How provenance was established:

The dish is one of a series of reasonably common Valencian products that were widespread in the second half of the 10th / 16th century. The style incorporates decorative themes belonging to fine dishes with pod-shaped decoration of the end of the 9th / 15th century and the beginning of the 10th / 16th century, simplified to suit popular taste.

Selected bibliography:

Ainaud De Lasarte, J., Cèramica y Vidrio, Ars Hispaniae, Vol. 10, Madrid, 1952.
Fronthingham, A. W., Lustreware of Spain, New York, 1951.
Torre, P., “Maioliche a Lustro Ispano-Moresche”, Serie Schede Museo Nazionale d'Arte Orientale, 7, Rome, 1987.
Torre, P., Le Mille e una Notte: Ceramiche Persiane, Turche e Ispano-Moresche, Faenza, 1990.
Torre, P., “Techniques Journeying from East to West at the Time of the Crusades”, Crusades: Myth and Realities, Nicosia, 2004.

Citation of this web page:

Paola Torre "Dish with triangle decoration" in Discover Islamic Art, Museum With No Frontiers, 2024. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;it;Mus01;11;en

Prepared by: Paola TorrePaola Torre

Responsabile del Dipartimento di Archeologia e Arte Islamica e del Servizio Educativo presso il Museo Nazionale d'Arte Orientale “Giuseppe Tucci” di Roma.
Laureata in Arte islamica, ha svolto per anni attività di docenza presso l'Istituto Universitario Orientale di Napoli ed è autrice di numerose pubblicazioni e studi scientifici riguardanti soprattutto la ceramica del mondo islamico, con particolare riferimento alla produzione dipinta a lustro metallico, dalla Mesopotamia alla Spagna.
Copyedited by: Pier Paolo RacioppiPier Paolo Racioppi

Laureato e specializzato in storia dell'arte presso l'Università di Roma “La Sapienza” sta conseguendo il dottorato di ricerca in Storia e conservazione dell'oggetto d'arte e d'architettura presso l'Università di Roma TRE. Ha svolto attività seminariali presso l'Istituto di Storia dell'Arte all'Università La Sapienza di Roma e attualmente è docente di storia dell'arte del Rinascimento presso la IES at Luiss (Roma).
Ha pubblicato diversi contributi sulla tutela artistica, il collezionismo e le accademie d'arte, ed ha collaborato al Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani dell'Enciclopedia Treccani.
Translation by: Laurence Nunny
Translation copyedited by: Monica Allen

MWNF Working Number: IT 11