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.
Provenance
Family of Gerard Cohen, Paris, France; (Momtaz Islamic Art, London, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art) (?–1996); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1996–)
Accession Number
1996.298
Medium
Earthenware with underglaze decoration
Dimensions
Diameter: 9.7 cm (3 13/16 in.); Overall: 13 cm (5 1/8 in.)
Classification
Ceramic
Credit Line
John L. Severance Fund