Vase or jar. Late Islamic period of the Maghreb. XVIII - XIX century.

Vase or jar. Late Islamic period of the Maghreb. XVIII - XIX century.
Ceramic in white and cobalt blue.
Measurements: 28 x 21 cm.

The piece is a ceramic vase of globular body, elaborated in clear paste and covered by a stanniferous enamel that shows a crackle characteristic of the traditional productions. The cobalt blue decoration is organized in bands and panels, with simplified vegetal motifs and linear geometric designs on the upper part. The line, somewhat irregular but firm, corresponds to manual work typical of traditional workshops and not to industrial manufacture.

The shape, with a wide mouth and slightly curved lip, indicates that it is not a pitcher or a container designed for pouring, but a jar or storage jar. Its structure is reminiscent of the utilitarian containers that were used to preserve dense liquids, food or domestic preparations. The absence of handles reinforces the idea that its function was not to serve directly, but to contain.

Because of its formal and decorative features, it fits within the late Islamic ceramics of the Maghreb, especially Morocco or Algeria. The combination of white and blue glaze, the repetitive motifs and the treatment of the line are typical of North African workshops between the 18th and 19th centuries, which took up Hispano-Muslim and Ottoman influences. The base, with irregularities and remains of firing, coincides with utilitarian pieces produced in traditional kilns.

As a whole, it can be considered a late Maghrebi vessel, intended for domestic use and decorated according to the usual patterns of the region's blue and white Islamic ceramics.