cobalt blue and golden lustre

Ingredients

cobalt blue, lustre

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

The inscriptions were applied using blue underglaze (cobalt) or lustre applications. For the Ulisse Cantagalli reproduction in 1880, pseudo-Arabic calligraphy in thuluth script was painted in white on a copper lustre ground (p. 146).

Evidence

"In terms of the Arabic inscriptions, from what we see on the surviving Alhambra vases, it seems that both kufic and cursive scripts were featured (Fig. 91), while the texts used are varied. (p. 136)"

Remarks

The Arabic inscriptions on surviving vases feature both kufic and cursive scripts (p. 136). Common phrases include al-mulk ('the kingdom'), al-mulk-li-l-ah ('the kingdom belongs to God'), al-yumn wa-l-iqbal ('joy and prosperity'), baraka ('blessing'), and al-afiya ('salvation') (p. 136). The inscriptions are applied around the circumference, requiring the viewer to move physically to read the text from right to left (p. 136).