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Wine Jar Showing Grapevine

Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

On View: Egyptian Orientation Gallery, 3rd Floor
Vessels with Blue-Painted Designs

The most innovative pottery of the Eighteenth Dynasty—so-called bluepainted ware—began under Thutmose III.


The pastel pigment was made from groundup blue frit, a mixture of cobalt and alum. Initially, potters relied on blue paint to accentuate small details, such as the grape cluster hanging from a vine on the wine jar in this case. Over time, though, artists began to use blue paint for more complex designs and figures.
MEDIUM Clay, pigment
  • Place Excavated: Esna, Egypt
  • DATES ca. 1479–1425 B.C.E.
    DYNASTY Dynasty 18
    PERIOD New Kingdom
    DIMENSIONS 18 1/4 x Diam. 8 3/4 in. (46.3 x 22.2 cm)  (show scale)
    ACCESSION NUMBER 07.447.447
    CREDIT LINE Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
    PROVENANCE Esna, Egypt (Ramessid); 1907, excavated by Henri de Morgan of Francescas, France and New York, NY for the Brooklyn Museum.
    Provenance FAQ
    MUSEUM LOCATION This item is on view in Egyptian Orientation Gallery, 3rd Floor
    CAPTION Wine Jar Showing Grapevine, ca. 1479–1425 B.C.E. Clay, pigment, 18 1/4 x Diam. 8 3/4 in. (46.3 x 22.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 07.447.447. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.07.447.447_NegB_print_bw.jpg)
    IMAGE overall, CUR.07.447.447_NegB_print_bw.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph
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    RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
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