Pearls of Wisdom: The Arts of Islam at the University of Michigan

Aquatic motifs can be found on vessels made in various media. Here, an enamel-painted fish appears to swim above a band of inscriptions on a blue background. It is located on the upper rim of what likely would have been a beaker or drinking cup. The metallic sheen would have reflected light, further enhancing the motif's resemblance to a living sea creature. The mottled glass also resembles a natural pool of opalescent water.

Bibliography: Carboni 2001, 350; Carboni and Whitehouse 2001, 199–209; Jenkins 1986, 38–47; and Baer 1998, 104–105; 1968.