Author
Unknown
Publication Date
1250
Publication Place
Egypt (made) Syria (made) -
Subject
Court Art Figures Feet Arabesques Roundels Singers Musicians Wine Bottles
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Physical Dimensions
Height: 20cm, Width: 12.5cm
Library
Victoria and Albert Museum
Library Asset ID
M.709:1 to 2-1910
Record ID
M.709:1 to 2-1910
Library Location
Middle East Section
Date
1250
Notes
This fine incense burner held scented materials such as sandalwood and frankincense. They were burned in a brass tray under the pierced lid. The perfume given off helped to create a refined setting for life at court. Court life also required singers, musicians and bottles of wine, all depicted on the roundels on the lid. Metalworkers often transformed objects made from brass by decorating them with sophisticated inlaid surface ornament. This piece was made when the inlay technique was at its peak. For larger motifs, they chiselled out small areas of brass and filled them with thin sheets of silver (as here), gold and copper. They added details were added by chasing the surface of the softer metals and created contrast with a black filler. The results were, for metalwork, an unusually graphic form of decoration, often of great quality.
Sample Text
Note Arabic inscription, around body of vessel.
Tarihsel bağlam
Incense burners appear in a variety of forms, zoomorphic, globe-shaped and cylindrical mounted on three legs. Simpler types in bronze date to the 11th-12th century Iran but the separate lid and body is a later feature of the 13th century, as is the more elaborate inlay decoration. There is a similar example in the Nuhad Es-Said Collection.
Malzemeler ve teknikler
Brass, pierced and inlaid with silver Brass Silver Inlay Piercing
Parçalar
Incense Burner, Lid
Fiziksel açıklama
Brass incense burner, pierced and inlaid with gold and silver, with domed lid and human feet. Lid features seated figures in three roundels with pierced decoration on a band of intricate arabesques alternating with smaller medallions composed of the "Y" motif. A raised band of braid separates the central container from the lid. The body contains three bands of arabesque decoration with two small medallions and one band of inscription alternating with larger medallions featuring hunting scenes. On one side there is a lobed plaque nailed to the body.
Üretim
Mamluk
Üslup
Mamluk
