Bowl
The bowl is hammered and turned brass, chased and inlaid with silver, gold and a black organic material. It is decorated with a wide band of thuluth inscriptions interrupted by four medallions.
Decorative kufic letters are interspersed in the vertical shafts of the thuluth inscription.
The four medallions represent a central personage seated on a throne, flanked by two standing attendants who hold maces (?). Blossoms appear under the throne in three medallions whereas a duck is depicted in the fourth scene.
Gold inlay has been applied to the face, hat, and garments of the prince; it also appears on the faces, hats, and maces of the attendants.
The bottom of the bowl has a radiating design forming sixteen units filled with floral motifs. The interior is devoid of decoration.
- Provenance
- Provenance research underway.
- Description
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The bowl is hammered and turned brass, chased and inlaid with silver, gold and a black organic material. It is decorated with a wide band of thuluth inscriptions interrupted by four medallions.
Decorative kufic letters are interspersed in the vertical shafts of the thuluth inscription.
The four medallions represent a central personage seated on a throne, flanked by two standing attendants who hold maces (?). Blossoms appear under the throne in three medallions whereas a duck is depicted in the fourth scene.
Gold inlay has been applied to the face, hat, and garments of the prince; it also appears on the faces, hats, and maces of the attendants.
The bottom of the bowl has a radiating design forming sixteen units filled with floral motifs. The interior is devoid of decoration.
- Inscription(s)
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1. (E. Atil, 1981) . . . The inscriptions, written in Arabic, read: "Glory to our master, the great sultan, lord of the guardians (riqab) of nations, the sultan of sultans of the Arabs and Persians, the wise . . . " (^o^.)
2. (Glenn Lowry, exhibition label, "Metalwork," October 1985) . . . The inscription reads: "Glory to our master, the greatest sultan, lord of the necks of nations, the sultan of sultans of the Arabs and non-Arabs, the wise-king (?)."
3. (Wheeler Thackston, Harvard University, Summer 1990) The inscription reads (^o^):
al-'izz li-mawlana al-[su]tan * [a]l-a'zam malik riqab al-umam * al-sultan al-salatin [sic, read sultan salatin] al-'arab wa'l-'ajam, al-'alim
Glory to our lord the most magnificent sultan, lord of the necks of the nations, sultan of the sultans of the Arabs and Persians, the learned . . .
- Published References
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- Mr. Yanni Petsopoulos. Tulips, Arabesques, and Turbans: Decorative Arts from the Ottoman Empire. New York and London. pp. 37, 44, pl. 22.
- Dr. Esin Atil, W. Thomas Chase, Paul Jett. Islamic Metalwork in the Freer Gallery of Art. Washington, 1985. cat. 21, pp. 162-166.
- Collection Area(s)
- Arts of the Islamic World
- Web Resources
- Google Cultural Institute
- SI Usage Statement
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CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)
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Usage Conditions Apply
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.
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