Bowl

The main decoration in the center of the bowl is a drawing of a proud bird of prey, probably an eagle or hawk, and differs considerably in conception and execution from other designs found on ninth-century Abbasid luster painted ceramics, which favor highly stylized and whimsical animal forms. While still abstracted, the crisply delineated eagle is resting one talon on a desperate hare and exudes a sense of tremendous pride and presence. The eagle is further distinguished by a collar around its neck and a ribbon attached to one of its legs. There are finely incised lines, suggesting the hawk’s plumage, beak, and collar. The decoration of the bowl is also notable for the wreath encircling the edge of the bowl.

Maker(s)
Artist: Khalid (active 9th century)
Historical period(s)
Abbasid period, 9th century
Medium
Earthenware painted over glaze with luster
Dimensions
H x Diam: 6.7 x 22.1 cm (2 5/8 x 8 11/16 in)
Geography
Iraq, Samarra
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Accession Number
F2005.10
On View Location
Freer Gallery 03: Engaging the Senses
Classification(s)
Ceramic, Vessel
Type

Bowl

Keywords
Abbasid period (750 - 1258), earthenware, Iraq
Provenance

From at least the early 1970s
Unidentified Persian dealer, from at least the early 1970s [1]

From 1976 to ca. 1999-2000
Unidentified British collector, acquired in the United Kingdom from the unidentified Persian dealer in 1976 [2]

From ca. 1999-2000 to 2004
Unidentified English collector, purchased from the unidentified Bristish collector in ca. 1999-2000 [3]

From 2004 to 2005
Unidentified collector, purchased from the unidentified English collector in 2004 [4]

From 2005
Freer Gallery of Art, purchased through Eskenazi, Ltd., London, at auction, Christie's, London, October 11, 2005, lot no. 50 [5]

Notes

[1] The unknown Persian dealer brought the bowl to the United Kingdom in the early 1970s (see Curatorial Remark 1, Massumeh Farhad, October 6, 2005, Acquisition Justification Report, in the object record).

[2] See Curatorial Remark 1, Massumeh Farhad, October 6, 2005, Acquisition Justification Report, in the object record.

[3] See note 2.

[4] Sold by the English collector to another collector in February 2004 (see Curatorial Remark 1, Massumeh Farhad, October 6, 2005, Acquisition Justification Report, in the object record).

[5] The object was placed at the October 11, 2005, Christie's London auction by the unknown collector listed in line 4. The object was purchased at that auction on the behalf of the Freer Gallery of Art by Eskenazi, Ltd., London (see Curatorial Remark 1, Massumeh Farhad, October 6, 2005, Acquisition Justification Report, in the object record).

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Christie's (London)

Description

The main decoration in the center of the bowl is a drawing of a proud bird of prey, probably an eagle or hawk, and differs considerably in conception and execution from other designs found on ninth-century Abbasid luster painted ceramics, which favor highly stylized and whimsical animal forms. While still abstracted, the crisply delineated eagle is resting one talon on a desperate hare and exudes a sense of tremendous pride and presence. The eagle is further distinguished by a collar around its neck and a ribbon attached to one of its legs. There are finely incised lines, suggesting the hawk's plumage, beak, and collar. The decoration of the bowl is also notable for the wreath encircling the edge of the bowl.

Label

This luster-painted bowl, signed by a Khalid, is a pivotal piece, linking the tradition of luster-painted ceramics, which originated and flourished in late ninth- and early tenth-century Iraq, to production in Egypt, after the gradual disintegration of the Abbasid Empire in the tenth century. The drawing of the proud bird of prey, probably an eagle or hawk, differs considerably in conception and execution from other designs found on ninth-century Abbasid luster painted ceramics, which favor highly stylized and whimsical animal forms. While still abstracted, the crisply delineated eagle is resting one talon on a desperate hare and exudes a sense of tremendous pride and presence. The eagle is further distinguished by a collar around its neck and a ribbon attached to one of its legs.
 
The decoration of the bowl is also notable for the wreath encircling the edge of the bowl. Such motifs are found on ninth-century Abbasid tiles from Samarra, and harks back to earlier Sassanian and Byzantine motifs.

Collection Area(s)
Arts of the Islamic World
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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