Albarello with Pseudo-Kufic Letters

The Muslim occupation of Spain brought the arts and skills of the Islamic world to Europe and led to the flowering of ceramics throughout the continent. This vessel was made in Paterna, near the Christian port of Valencia. Its design and decoration, featuring a band of pseudo-Kufic (fake Arabic) letters, suggests a strong Muslim influence. The subtle blend of the Islamic and Spanish known as Hispano-Moresque.