Jug (mashrabah)

Object Details

• Description

  Vase; decorated with linked panels of arabesque and calligraphy; traces of gold inlay; base bears inscription, "The fakir Hafiz Ali, in the year 930" (1523 A.D.).

  The neck and the body of the jug are decorated with rectangular panels containing inscriptions, loosely linked with cartouches of varying shapes which are filled with arabesques. The inscriptions in the six panels on the neck have been scraped; those on the ring encircling the neck and on the body contain Persian phrases.

• Inscriptions

  1. (Esin Atil, 1977) The inscription on the base appears to have been incised at a later date and probably refers to the owner, not to the maker:

  "al-fakir Hafiz Ali, in the year 930."

  2. (Wheeler Thackston, Harvard University, Summer 1990) Inscription:

  Cartouches:

  dawlat bad * `izzat bad * barakat bad * dawlat bad * `izzat bad * rif`at bad *

  "May there be fortune. May there be power. May there be blessing. May there be fortune. May there be power. May there be highness."

  Bottom:

  al-faqir Hafiz `Ali fi sana 94.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Arts of Mughal India (2004) (August 21, 2004 to February 6, 2005)

  Crosscurrents in Chinese and Islamic Ceramics (March 1, 1996 to July 1, 1997)

  Islamic Metalwork in the Freer Gallery of Art (September 27, 1985 to November 17, 1986)

• Origin

  Iran

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Vessel

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1700s, 1710s, 1720s, 1500s, 1610s, 1600s, 1590s, 1540s, 1650s, 1530s, 1640s, 1520s, 1630s, 1510s, 1620s, 1580s, 1730s, 1690s, 1570s, 1680s, 1560s, 1670s, 1550s, 1660s

• Place

  Afghanistan

• Topic

  S?afavid dynasty, 1501-1736, Art, Inlay (process), Sculpture, Arts of the Islamic World, Engraving (incising), Metal-work

• Culture

  Muslims, Iranians

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)