Ceramics from Islamic Lands

Islamic potterythe fine ceramics made in the lands of Islam, from the Arab world and Turkey through Iran and into Central Asiais one of the hidden treasures of world ceramics. While some individual wares such as Iznik are deservedly renowned, its breadth and diversity have generally been overshadowed by the ceramic legacy of China and Europe. Yet Islamic pottery cedes nothing to these great traditions in technical inventiveness and beauty of design. In fact, through close trading links and cultural interchange, Islamic potters have played a crucial role in the development of these other ceramic cultures. The al-Sabah Collection, one of the few truly great collections in private hands, illustrates the unfolding story of Islamic pottery over its fascinating thousand-year history. The collection contains both famous masterpieces and important dated and signed works, and much material is published here for the first time. This richly illustrated catalogue, in which over four hundred pieces are described, provides both an examination of individual items and an overall history of the subject. Introductory essays cover the study and collecting of Islamic pottery over the last hundred years, and trace its technical and chronological history, from the first fine wares made in the eighth century to the destructive impact of European industrialization in the nineteenth century. The individual objects, illustrated with some 900 color pictures, are grouped in geographical and chronological sequence. Not only does the book present a superb collection to the public, it also provides a new framework for the understanding and study of Islamic ceramics. It will appeal to the interested general reader, and is an essential and invaluable reference work for the student and specialist. Over 900 color illustrations.