Publication Date
Late fourteenth century to 1430
Publication Place
-
Museum of Technical Industries
Subject
Porcelain with a metallic luster glaze.
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Physical Dimensions
الارتفاع: 9.5 سم؛ القطر: 22 سم
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Library Asset ID
KGM 1906, 99
Record ID
object;ISL;de;Mus01;46;ar
Library Location
Museum of Islamic Art
Date
Late fourteenth century to 1430
Notes
In a country like Spain where seafaring is of great importance, it is not surprising that ships were used as an ornamental element in ceramics. In the center of this plate with a vertical edge, we see a sailing ship in front of branches and flowers arranged in a spiral. As for the ship, it resembles the Portuguese model called “Nau,” as the Portuguese and Spanish were masters of the seas at that time. This type of ship has three masts and the main sail is drawn in the form of a shield, and the two smaller masts and their sails are drawn on the bow and stern of the ship. The stern of the ship was also decorated with Arabic writings, among which the word “Peace” could be identified. However, not all of the ship’s elements are clear on this plate due to the simple style of the drawings on it. This style of bowl is known from a large bowl with slanted walls preserved in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The principle used in the decoration of the plate preserved in Berlin fits perfectly with the decoration of the piece in London. It is noteworthy that an original "Nau"-class ship is preserved in the Prince Hendrik Maritime Museum in Rotterdam. We see some miniature dolphins jumping from under the saucer ship in Berlin and sometimes reaching the edge of the saucer. After Valencia returned to Christian authority in 1238, the ceramic factories there continued to work for Christian people and meet their requests. This is evidenced by the style of the ship depicted on this plate, which is evidence of the close coexistence between Christians and Muslims at that time. The view of the ship with dolphins was also known in ceramic works, especially in the city of Malaga in the late fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries. But the fact that there are few ceramics bearing this drawing may be due to the fact that a small segment of those who request to make ceramics desire this princely theme. A recent study conducted in 1983 on a fragment of the large plate (Al-Jafna) located in London proved that ceramics dating back to the Nasrid era were made in Malaga, after a study of miniatures had previously indicated this. These comparisons also showed the relationship of the Spanish ceramic industry with ceramic products in Sicily and Egypt. Ship drawings did not appear until the beginning of the Reconquest Wars, as the majority of those seeking this style were Christians.
Sample Text
Annette Hagedorn “Moroccan Plate” in Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;de;Mus01;46;ar
