Publication Date
The middle of the eighth century AH / the middle of the fourteenth century AD
Publication Place
-
Saint Louis Art Museum
Subject
Yellow brass with silver and gold inlay
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Physical Dimensions
الطول : 23.5 سم × العرض : 55.6 سم
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Library Asset ID
50:1927
Record ID
object;EPM;us;Mus24;34;ar
Library Location
Saint Louis Art Museum
Date
The middle of the eighth century AH / the middle of the fourteenth century AD
Notes
The piece is a brass basin with a flat, upright frame, decorated with engravings and inlaid with silver and nilo (Tikfit). In the main decorative element of the outer surface there is a large band engraved with flowing thuluth script (elaborate Arabic script) against a background with flowers divided by three circular medallions. Each medallion has an inner circle in naqsha script (standard Arabic script, the highest level) limited by a flowered band. The large strip is defined at the top and bottom by narrow contours decorated with pinwheels and rhombuses filled with the iris flower pattern. The upper strip has a crowning element of leaves pointing upwards, and the outer surface has an inscription in the third part that says: “The seat of authority, the master, the great and the prince/the conqueror, the defender of the faith, the valiant fighter/the protector of the fever and the one who is supported by God (mamluk), King Nasser.” The inscription in calligraphy says: “The council of authority, the master, the knower.” Al-Nasir, the Mujahid and defender of the truth (Mamluk Al-Malik), and the bottom of the lip has an engraved inscription. The edge of the frame is decorated with a continuous scroll of vines. The broad band of calligraphy is on the inner surface of the lip and is separated by six medallions, each of which has a pinwheel surrounded by a flowered border. The Arabic inscription on the inner surface of the lip reads: “The council of authority / the master / the great prince and the knowledgeable / the fighter / the conqueror / the defender of the truth / the teacher (Mamluk al-Malik) Al-Nasir. Below the remaining decorative band there is an elaborate flowered band with leaves pointing downwards and on the inner floor there is a medallion.” A large engraved circular of a fish with the same border of flowers and petals pointing outward.
Sample Text
"Basin" within Discover the collections of Islamic art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;EPM;us;Mus24;34;ar
