Gilded Flask: Artwork from Ancient Islamic World

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Artwork Description
Creator
Historical Background and Context
Possible Comparisons
Conclusion
Bibliography

Introduction

The Islamic world is associated with different teachings and ideas that have dictated artistic practices and processes for thousands of years. The selected work for this discussion is Gilded Flask. It is believed to have been created in the 1100s by an unknown artist. This flask is a magnificent work of art made from clay, gilded, and kilned to deliver harmony and contrast, portray the cultural and religious attributes of the people, and whose elements of art continue to inform the production of different products and materials in the modern world. This paper gives a detailed analysis of the work, its creator, background and context, and possible comparisons.

Artwork Description

The selected piece of art is believed to have been produced in the mid or early 1100s in the city of Raqqa in Syria. During the period, this region was the center for fine art and pottery. Most of the potters paid attention to detail and embraced different strategies to deliver appealing items. From a geometric perspective, the work has a regular shape that delivers harmony and balance to the viewers. The etched drawings and lines on this work of pottery appear sharp or continuous. This approach gives a sense of meaning to the viewer. The presented figures, birds, and dots make it more presentable. Its edges appear smooth and properly grooved. In terms of unity, all the parts of the entire piece appear to be in harmony.[1]

The size is also medium, thereby making it usable and capable of meeting the demands of different users. With the portrayal and presentation of these features or concepts of art, it is evident that the piece of art presents a tranquil and relaxed harmony. Those who examine it will feel comfortable and calm. The ideals arising from this kind of representation include the potter’s heroism and nobility for the intended customers. From a technical perspective, clay is used as the primary material for its construction or creation. The process of producing it must have been that of wheeling. The artist went further to decorate its surfaces through the use of incising and impressing. It is also evident that color was used to beautify the lines and make them appealing to the observer.[2]

After considering the period in which it what produced, the chances are high that it was gilded using gold and then fired in a kiln. This kind of practice was common from the 11th century to produce permanent clay objects. The formal aspects or properties associated with this work of art include balance, unity, and emphasis that the artist achieved through the use of lines and contrasting colors. The end result is that the work expresses calmness. The object’s symmetry makes it meaningful and capable of depicting the stability and durability of this form of art. The appealing decorations convey the cultural practices of the people and the role or position of natural creatures in society, and how they relate positively to human beings.[3] This is achieved through the use of birds and decorative images. The use of golden and blue colors appears to present both harmony and contrast to the viewer.

Creator

The potter behind this work of art is unknown. However, it is believed to have been created by artists who were leaving the Fatimid Empire towards the end of the 12th century. During the period, many potters and painters were focusing on new opportunities and regions that could support their goals.[4] Some of the individuals were in search of new opportunities and pursued their goals in life. This means that many people managed to realize their goals and dreams in Raqqa.

Historical Background and Context

The size, shape, and delicate decoration of this object appear outstanding and remarkable to the viewer. The painterly attributes of this piece of pottery give a detailed analysis of the practices and ideas that many artists pursued during the period. During the same period, many people focused on the best approaches to produce bottles, flasks, basins, lamps, and functional objects that were aimed at celebrating the emerging Islamic culture.

Within the past two centuries, many artists had appreciated the importance of using different materials and unique physical properties.[5] It was evident that the use of clay as a new material for producing artworks had become a common practice in the Asian region. Similarly, different societies had managed to use clay for developing works of art and recording historical happenings or events. During the mid 12th century, Raqqa became the best destination for many artists and potters from different parts of the region. Those from Fatimid Empire possessed adequate competencies and skills that were appropriate for improving the art and fulfilling the demands of many customers. This new city in Syria presented new resources and opportunities to those who wanted to achieve their potential.

The leaders of the upcoming state created the best environment for supporting the production and proliferation of both glass and pottery. The increasing number of artists in Raqqa resulted in increased levels of competition. The end result was that majority of them began to experiment with different shapes, forms, colors, and designs.[6]

The increasing level of population growth became a new opportunity for customers to acquire or purchase such items, thereby encouraging more potters to focus on the best tactics to meet their needs. These craftsmen continued to redefine and transform the field of art; in terms of context, those who pursued their goals as potters began to combine ideas and notions from the outside and inside the Islamic World. Within several decades, similar flasks, vessels, and bottles designed from clay were decorated further using colors and other artistic styles.[7] These developments would create a stable foundation for future works of art made from clay.

Possible Comparisons

Throughout the 11th and 12th centuries, pottery became a common form of producing superior works of art in both the Christian and Islamic Worlds. Potters could use their competencies to model and present high-quality bottles, vases, flasks, and jugs for ornamental purposes. During the same time, a unique approach for beautifying or decorating items made from clay and glass became more common. This was known as gilding, whereby potters applied a thin layer of gold as a form of decoration. A good example of work that is comparable with the Gilded Flask is the Enameled, and Gilded Bottle found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.[8]

Despite being made from enamel, this work’s features, design techniques, and attributes are similar to the above one. The success and development recorded in Raqqa encouraged more people to produce similar flasks or items using elegant forms, vivid colors, and gilding technologies. Similar objects believed to have been designed during the same period have been found in different parts of the world, including China, Mongolia, and Egypt. Such works of art are characterized by similar artistic approaches, such as gilding and molding.

They are also made from clay. Similarly, many glass artworks were decorated in a similar manner in different parts of the world. This is a clear indication that the concepts associated with the production of such works of art during the period were intended to promote culture and Islamic concepts. The strength of the gilding style, therefore, explains why it has been emulated and copied by modern designers and large-scale manufacturers. For instance, the identified work presents attributes and features that are similar to the Kakiemon style from Japan. This method has been in place since the 17th century and has become common in different countries whereby porcelain materials are produced.[9]

Today, gilding remains a common practice whereby artists continue to embrace the glowing and permanence qualities of gold to produce superior materials or products. This approach is taken seriously since it supports the delivery of desirable items that appeal to the greatest number of people.

Conclusion

The above discussion has identified the Gilded Flask as a magnificent object that is produced using clay, gilded, and kilned to deliver harmony and contrast, portray the cultural and religious attributes of the people, and whose elements of art continue to inform the production of different products and materials in the modern world. With the potter being unknown, it is agreeable that it must have emerged from Raqqa, where this form of art was common. The designer managed to combine various elements to deliver a spectacular work of pottery that celebrates the abilities and ideals associated with its artistic period.

Bibliography

Birch, Samuel. History of Ancient Pottery: Greek, Etruscan, and Roman. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015.

Edwards, Howell G. M., and Peter Vandenabeele. “Roman Spectroscopy in Art and Archaeology.” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences 374, no. 2082 (2016): 20160052.

Enameled and Gilded Bottle. Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. Web.

Gilded Flask. Digital image. Google Arts & Culture. Web.

Nouri, Najmeh, and Fereshteh Sharifi. “The Main Centers for Production of Enameled Pottery and Their Features.” International Journal of Archaeology 4, no. 2 (2016): 17-25.

Osier, Peter, ed. Islamic Art and Architecture. Chatswood: Britannica Digital Learning, 2017.

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