Fragment from the Base of a Bowl

13th-14th century

Byzantine; Constantinople or vicinity

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 intricate linear design 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: On View, Gallery 153
Department: Arts of the Ancient Mediterranean and Byzantium

Culture: Byzantine
Title: Fragment from the Base of a Bowl
Place: Thessaloníki (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.: 5.5 cm (2 1/4 in.); At widest point: W.: 9 cm (3 1/2 in.)
Credit Line: Anonymous Fund
Reference Number: 1932.269.25
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/92547/manifest.json

The Art Institute of Chicago, Of Gods and Glamour: The Mary and Michael Jaharis Galleries of Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Art, Gallery 153, November 11, 2012 - present.

David Talbot Rice (1903-1972), London; sold to the Art Institute of Chicago, 1932.

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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.

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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.

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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.