06/10/2026
Artworks Highlight_ #01 ~ #03
From the Galleries of Asian & Islamic Art at the Detroit Institute of Arts:
In this series, we invite you to discover selected treasures from the Detroit Institute of Arts that reflect the rich artistic traditions of Asia and the Islamic world. Each work offers a glimpse into history, belief, craftsmanship, and cultural expression.
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1. Salt cellar inscribed with Poem about Salt(Mughal, Indian):
On View in Islamic, Level 1, North Wing
The excerpts from Persian poems inscribed on this lidded container from Mughal India reveal the purpose of the object: to hold salt. Its inscriptions also record the name of its owner, a government official named Muhammad Husayn, and its date, 1664 – 65.
Covered in floral imagery, the saltcellar would have been one of many luxury objects displayed and used during meals hosted by Muhammad Husayn. Its naturalistic flowers may have recalled a fragrant garden — a popular setting for dinner parties among the Mughal elite.
One of the inscribed verses — “A host places a saltcellar on the table first” — comes from a couplet by the Iranian poet Sa’ib Tabrizi, who lived in India from 1625 – 32. The authorship of the other lines is no longer known, but Muhammad Husayn and his dining companions must have identified the poets and relished their wordplay.
* Source: https://dia.org/collection/saltcellar-inscribed-poem-about-salt-93861
2. Dish (Turkish)
On View in Islamic, Level 1, North Wing
At first glance, this dish might appear to be blue-and-white porcelain from China, but in fact, it was created by ceramic artists in Iznik, Turkey.
During the Ottoman period in Turkey, members of the royal court avidly collected Chinese ceramics, which they acquired through both trade and diplomacy. In the late 1400s, Iznik potters began to produce local versions of these luxury imports. To re-create the smooth, white appearance of porcelain, they used fritware — a mixture of clay, ground quartz, and ground glass — covered in white slip (liquid clay). Painting designs on the vessels before glazing and firing, they initially replicated floral patterns from Chinese examples in the royal collection, using cobalt blue — as seen in this dish.
Valued for their artistic qualities and their functionality, Iznik wares were both commissioned by the Ottoman palace and produced for a broader market. The large size of this dish made it suitable for serving shared food at communal meals.
*Source: https://dia.org/collection/dish-96106
3. Ewer with Rooster Head(Islamic)
On View in Islamic, Level 1, North Wing
When a server poured drinks from this rooster-headed ewer, the effect must have delighted guests. As the pourer grasped the vessel’s tail-shaped handle, the beverage would have flowed from the opening in the beak.
To create the ewer, potters made a solid inner layer to hold the liquid contents and a decorative outer shell with carved openwork. Painting sphinxes, spotted deer, and harpies (birds with the heads of human women) amid a swirling background, they articulated details with black slip (liquid clay) before covering the vessel in a turquoise glaze. These specialized techniques, requiring great skill, made this work an expensive luxury object.
*Source: https://dia.org/collection/ewer-rooster-head-49382
