Egypt or Syria (Mamluk Sultanate, 1250–1517)
Late 14th–early 15th century
Brass, hammered, chased and perhaps originally inlaid with silver
Height: 7.6 cm, Diameter: 14 cm (rim)
This bowl’s decoration invites the viewer to marvel at its form and wonder at its making. Its inscription speaks to the link between beauty and divine virtue: ‘He who contemplates my beauty will find me a delight to the eye; I have a form which includes all the essence of good.’
يناري نيعلا ةهزن يلامجيف انعمت نم يناعملا لك ىوح دق ريخلا نم زارط يل
The absence of a dedication to a patron suggests it was made for the open market.
The objects in The Courtauld’s collection of Islamic metalwork were made in the Middle East and North Africa between around 1250 and 1500. Such pieces were prized for their superb craftsmanship.
Metalworkers from present- day Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Syria and Turkey perfected the technique of inlaying silver into sheets of hammered and chased (indented) brass. Calligraphic inscriptions, geometric patterns and images of hunters and musicians were popular decorations for these luxury objects.