Water-basin
Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow Museums
About Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow Museums, Glasgow
Hegira 8th century / AD 14th century
1907.39.i
Brass; beaten and inlayed with silver.
Height 15 cm, diameter 30 cm
Mamluk
Egypt.
A brass water-basin originally inlayed with silver and divided into six sections with the aid of six roundels. Decorated with a band of bold calligraphic inscription, the text reads: 'This is one of the things made for his highness, the lordly, the kingly, the learned, the treasure house of excellence, the just, the conqueror, the warrior, the defender, the protector of frontiers, the fortified by God, the victorious, the planner, the well-ordered, the masterful, the complete, supporter of the khan, the Seal Bearer, the king the Nassiri.' The inscription indicates an official of high rank in charge of the Sultan Al-Malik Al-Nasir's correspondence and other administrative responsibilities. Al-Malik Al-Nasir (who ruled during three phases between AH 692 and 740 / AD 1293 and 1340) commissioned the basin. Three of the roundels enclose the design of a blazon. The other three roundels have a symmetrical composition of six birds: two facing each other, two looking away from each other; and two moving away from each other but looking back at each other. The compositions of these roundels with their birds or waterfowl are a distinctive feature of Egyptian Mamluk metalwork, distinguishing it from contemporary Syrian, Iraqi and Iranian work.
View Short DescriptionVessels like this one were quite expensive. The script round the basin is in the thuluth style, and describes the titles of the high-ranking Mamluk official who owned it. The blazon incised in the roundels that divide the text indicates that the owner was in charge of the sultan’s correspondence.
Artistic analysis together with identification of the 8th- / 14th-century Mamluk blazon and titles.
Purchased by the Museum in 1907.
Identification of the 8th- / 14th-century Mamluk blazon and titles.
Allan, J. W., Islamic Inscriptions, Edinburgh, 1998.
Blair, S. S., and Bloom, J. M., The Art and Architecture of Islam 1250–1800, Yale University Press, 1994.
Ward, R., Islamic Metalwork, London, 1993.
Noorah Al-Gailani "Water-basin" in Discover Islamic Art, Museum With No Frontiers, 2019. http://www.discoverislamicart.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;uk;Mus04;16;en
MWNF Working Number: UK4 22
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