Albarello Jar with an Aphorism

900s
Diameter: 9.7 cm (3 13/16 in.); Overall: 13 cm (5 1/8 in.)
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location: 116 Islamic

Download, Print and Share

Did You Know?

The jar's Arabic inscription written in Eastern Kufic script.

Description

The albarello was a jar designed to hold ointments and drugs for pharmacists. They were produced in the Middle East and Spain, as well as late medieval and Renaissance Italy. Albarellos are usually painted with floral, vegetal, or geometric designs. Arabic inscriptions are less common but here the elegant text reads: “Modesty [comes] from faith, and faith [comes] from Paradise,” attributed to the Prophet Muhammad.
Albarello Jar with an Aphorism

Albarello Jar with an Aphorism

900s

Central Asia, Samarkand, Samanid period (819–1005)

Visually Similar Artworks

Contact us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.