Publication Date
Second half of the ninth / fifteenth century
Publication Place
-
British Museum
Subject
Yellow brass inlaid with silver.
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Physical Dimensions
الارتفاع 3 سم؛ القطر 29.2 سم
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Library Asset ID
1878.12-30.705
Record ID
object;ISL;uk;Mus01;31;ar
Library Location
British Museum
Date
Second half of the ninth / fifteenth century
Notes
Round flat brass tray with vertical sides. The base has been inlaid with fine silver detailing on a shaded ground. It is one of the finely crafted models made by Mahmoud Al-Kurdi, in which he combined intricate detailing with a bold overall design. There is a central octagon from which emerge pairs of crescents alternating with four radially oval medallions. These crescents and medallions float on a dense arabesque design, and a denser arabesque design fills the medallions themselves and the central octagon. Crescents inlaid with a silver ribbon create a powerful effect with the floor covered in swirling arabesques. Mahmoud Al-Kurdi's signature appears in the circular ornaments located between the pairs of crescents. His works are considered part of the group of coins known as "Veneto-Saracenic", a style characterized by dense decoration, especially European shapes, and often bearing a coat of arms. It seems likely that this tray was produced for the European market and for daily use.
Sample Text
Emily Shovelton “Plate” in Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;uk;Mus01;31;ar
