Renowned for their technical inventiveness, variety, and beauty, Islamic ceramics first began to flourish in the medieval period. This handsome book presents over one hundred works from the unparalleled Harvey B. Plotnick Collection and documents the extraordinary achievements in Islamic pottery from the 9th to 14th centuries.
Focusing on three of the most important types of ceramics produced in Iraq and Iran––lusterware, minai, and underglaze painted wares––the book includes fascinating information on each of the works and an introductory essay that discusses the exalted status that ceramics held in the medieval Islamic world, the developments of various techniques in ceramic production, and the singular importance of this major collection. It also tells the particular story of the development of lusterware from the era of the Abbasids (9th–10th centuries), to the court of the Fatimid rulers in Egypt, to its remarkable artistic expression in Iran in the late 12th century.