Name of Object:Ewer and basin set Location:Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Turkey Holding Museum:Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts About Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, Sultanahmet Date of Object:Hegira 1286 / AD 1870 Museum Inventory Number:211 Material(s) / Technique(s):Gilded copper, known as the tombak technique. Dimensions:Basin: height 12 cm, diameter 60 cm; ewer: height 30.5 cm Period / Dynasty:Ottoman Provenance:Istanbul, Turkey. Description:A set comprising two pieces: a ewer and a basin that was used for ritual ablution. The basin is large with a flaring rim. The ewer has a pear-shaped body, a curved handle and a lid. The flaring rim of the basin and the body, lid and lower part of the spout of the ewer are decorated with lozenges formed by small grooves. Vertical and horizontal grooves in the lozenges also form square motifs. On top of the lid are a flower-bud and leaf in keeping with the fashion of the time. View Short DescriptionGold has been the expression of economic power in all periods of history. Tombak is a technique that gives the look of gold to items and is used to decorate this ewer and basin set used by Pertevniyal Valide Sultan, mother of Sultan Abdülaziz, during religious ceremonies. Original Owner:Possibly Pertevniyal Valide Sultan (d. 1300 / 1883; queen mother from 1277–92 / AD 1861–76) How date and origin were established:Both the ewer and basin bear an inscription stating that they were dedicated to the Tomb of Pertevniyal Valide Sultan and giving the date of 1286 (1870). How Object was obtained:The ewer and basin were transferred to the museum in 1926 from the Tomb of Pertevniyal Valide Sultan in Istanbul, to which they were dedicated. How provenance was established:Both the ewer and basin were dedicated to the tomb of Sultan Abdülaziz's mother, Pertevniyal Valide Sultan, in Istanbul and, due to the fact that the tombak technique was used especially in Istanbul, it is highly likely that this set was produced there. Selected bibliography:Anadolu Medeniyetleri III, Selçuklu-Osmanlı (Anatolian Civilizations III, Seljuqs-Ottomans), Istanbul, 1983, p.305. Citation of this web page:Alev Özay "Ewer and basin set" in Discover Islamic Art, Museum With No Frontiers, 2024. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;tr;Mus01;45;en Prepared by: Alev Özay
|