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Candlestick

Candlestick

  • Place of origin:

    Egypt (possibly, made)
    Syria (possibly, made)

  • Date:

    14th century (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    Unknown

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Hammered brass inlaid with chased silver and engraved

  • Museum number:

    912-1884

  • Gallery location:

    Islamic Middle East, room 42, case 16, shelf 2

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This lamp stand is a very late example of a shape inherited from the ancient world. The upper section, now missing, would have supported a tray for small oil lamps. The decoration, however, is typical of the 14th century. The inscription praises an unnamed Mamluk official.

The lamp stand is decorated in a style that developed during the first century of Mamluk rule in Egypt and Syria (1250–1350). This was the period when the sultanate was at the height of its power. The secular decoration on objects like this shows that they were made for palaces rather than religious buildings.

At first, scenes with human figures were common. These disappeared after 1300, and elegant inscriptions in Arabic became more prominent. The texts all name the patron or glorify the sultan.

Physical description

Base of a candlestick, brass inlaid with chased silver and engraved with birds and arabesques. Round central band with inscription in silver inlay naming the owner and attributing date of 14th century. Remaining medallions are filled with birds and arrangements of whorled bands.

Place of Origin

Egypt; Syria

Date

14th century (made)

Artist/maker

Unknown

Materials and Techniques

Hammered brass inlaid with chased silver and engraved

Dimensions

Height: 31 cm
Width: 28.8 cm (maximum)

Descriptive line

Brass lampstand inlaid with inscriptions, Egypt or Syria, 14th century.

Labels and date

Lampstand
Egypt or Syria
1300-1400

This is a very late example of a shape inherited from the ancient world. The upper section, now missing, would have supported a tray for small oil lamps. The decoration, however, is typical of the 14th century. As on the basin to the left, the inscription praises an unnamed Mamluk official.

Brass inlaid with silver and a black composition

Museum no. 912-1884

Materials

Silver; Brass (alloy)

Techniques

Engraving (incising); Chasing; Hammering

Subjects depicted

Birds; Arabesques; Frets

Categories

Metalwork; Islam

Collection code

MES

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Qr_O107641
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