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Fragment from the Base of a Bowl with "K" Monogram

A work made of glazed terracotta.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of glazed terracotta.

Date:

13th-14th century

Artist:

Byzantine; Constantinople or vicinity

About this artwork

Fragments of Byzantine pottery preserve decorative motifs that were placed on the base of each pot’s interior. They represent a range of geometric and abstract floral motifs - such as the distinctive letter “K” preserved on this fragment- that were created by cutting through the white slip, or glaze, to reveal the red earthenware beneath. This technique of engraved slipware is known as sgraffitto. Color washes in a range of greens and browns were then placed over the incised decoration. First developed in the eleventh century, this combination of sgraffitto and color washes remained a defining feature of fine Byzantine pottery for several centuries.

Later Byzantine pottery such as this circulated throughout the eastern Mediterranean. Over time, it competed with an increasing number of imported ceramics of Italian, Islamic, and even Chinese origin. The technique and decorative motif seen here continued to be used in regions of Greece, Anatolia, and the Balkans during the Ottoman Empire (15th–20th century), thereby outlasting the Byzantine Empire itself, which ended in 1453.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Arts of the Ancient Mediterranean and Byzantium

Culture

Byzantine

Title

Fragment from the Base of a Bowl with "K" Monogram

Place

Istanbul (Object made in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1201–1400

Medium

Glazed terracotta

Dimensions

H.: 2.8 cm (1 1/8 in.); At widest point: W.: 7 cm (2 3/4 in.)

Credit Line

Anonymous Fund

Reference Number

1932.269.17

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/92539/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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