Overview
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 Iranlusterware, minai, and underglaze painted waresthe 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 (9th10th centuries), to the court of the Fatimid rulers in Egypt, to its remarkable artistic expression in Iran in the late 12th century.
Editorials
Library Journal
The impact of international trade, together with potters' growing cultural, artistic, and social sophistication, made for a real dynamism in Iran and Iraq's ceramics industry between the ninth and 14th centuries. Unfortunately, details of the innovative techniques they used are lost to us now. Pancaroglu (archaeology & history of art, Bilkent Univ., Turkey) organizes more than 100 works from Harvey B. Plotnick's wonderfully representative collection into a fine catalog accompanying an exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago (through October). The text focuses on three types of ceramics produced in Iran and Iraq during those years: lusterware, minai, and underglaze painted wares. At the time, people appreciated the reflective qualities (both literal and metaphorical) of Islamic pottery, and contemporary folk will, too. The color reproductions are outstanding and the essays informative. Though exemplary, the collection is still a personal selection; those interested in furthering their understanding of the subject can consult Oliver Watson's Ceramics from Islamic Lands. Recommended for libraries with a focus in art, art history, or Islamic studies.
—Nandine Dalton Speidel