<em>Blue and White Bowl with Radial Design</em>, 13th century. Ceramic; fritware, painted in cobalt blue under a transparent glaze, 3 11/16 in. (9.3 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas S. Brush, 75.2. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: , 75.2_view3_PS6.jpg)

Blue and White Bowl with Radial Design, 13th century. Ceramic; fritware, painted in cobalt blue under a transparent glaze, 3 11/16 in. (9.3 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas S. Brush, 75.2. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: , 75.2_view3_PS6.jpg)

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What is fritware?

Fritware is a type of ceramic material similar to the ancient Egyptian faience. "Frit" is a finely ground, glassy substance often made from quartz. Potters add an oxide to the frit which functions as a "flux" and lowers the melting point of the frit. This mixture can then be melted into a more fluid state and formed into tiles or vessels like you see in our gallery.

Fritware is stronger than traditional clay meaning that it can produce a greater variety of forms with thinner and more decorative walls. Fritware is also naturally white which, of course, takes color much more easily than a brown, earthenware body.

Do we know how it was discovered that cobalt could be used in ceramics?

Not precisely, but it was likely through experimentation, possibly even an error that resulted in an unexpected result!

Using cobalt as an ingredient in glaze and underglaze decoration developed in the Middle East. Though beautiful, you can see how difficult the pigment was to control at first by looking at the uneven lines on this bowl.

Definitely. We noticed that!

Why was cobalt the color that was used?

It was basically a matter of taste. Cobalt was special because it actually remains blue through the high-temperature firing process which many pigments did not. Cobalt glazing technology was first developed in Persia and transmitted to China via the Silk Road across Asia.

Oh okay thank you!

Blue and White Bowl with Radial Design

Arts of the Islamic World

MEDIUM Ceramic; fritware, painted in cobalt blue under a transparent glaze

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATIONS

Place made: Iran
Possible place made: Kashan, Iran

DATES 13th century

DIMENSIONS 3 11/16 in. (9.3 cm) diameter at mouth: 6 15/16 in. (17.6 cm) rim: 9/16 in. (1.4 cm) base: 3 5/16 in. (8.4 cm) (show scale)

COLLECTIONS Arts of the Islamic World

ACCESSION NUMBER 75.2

CREDIT LINE Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas S. Brush

EXHIBITIONS

Infinite Blue

MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view

CAPTION Blue and White Bowl with Radial Design, 13th century. Ceramic; fritware, painted in cobalt blue under a transparent glaze, 3 11/16 in. (9.3 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas S. Brush, 75.2. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: , 75.2_view3_PS6.jpg)

IMAGE 75.2_view3_PS6.jpg.

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RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY

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