Flask
1150-1200 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Flask in the form of a bird. The bird's head is the stopper, attached to a long rod which is square in section, tapering to an oval section and finally flattening and curving upwards. The tip is shaped like a spatula, and may have been intended for makeup.
The decoration throughout is in silver inlay. The bird's wings are folded across its back. The bird's wings and tail are decorated with a silver-inlaid geometric pattern of scales, dots and parallel lines, indicating primary and secondary feathers. At the base of the tail is a winged quadruped with long ears and flowing tail which is walking to the left and looking back at a scrolling stalk.
On the proper right of the neck is a silver-inlaid hare and on the proper left a hound.
On the breast of the bird there is a scene of two opposed riders tilting towards a stylised plant, their lances bedecked with banners. On both sides there are single roundels in which a seated, cross-legged figure holds two vertical poles each, topped with dragon heads. These refer to planetary, lunar or solar iconography.
At the top of each wing is a pierced hole.
The flat underside of the body has a small hole, possibly for attachment to some sort of stand.
Patina: red to brown-red. The silver inlay is entirely preserved.
The decoration throughout is in silver inlay. The bird's wings are folded across its back. The bird's wings and tail are decorated with a silver-inlaid geometric pattern of scales, dots and parallel lines, indicating primary and secondary feathers. At the base of the tail is a winged quadruped with long ears and flowing tail which is walking to the left and looking back at a scrolling stalk.
On the proper right of the neck is a silver-inlaid hare and on the proper left a hound.
On the breast of the bird there is a scene of two opposed riders tilting towards a stylised plant, their lances bedecked with banners. On both sides there are single roundels in which a seated, cross-legged figure holds two vertical poles each, topped with dragon heads. These refer to planetary, lunar or solar iconography.
At the top of each wing is a pierced hole.
The flat underside of the body has a small hole, possibly for attachment to some sort of stand.
Patina: red to brown-red. The silver inlay is entirely preserved.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Cast brass, with silver inlay |
| Brief description | Flask in the form of a seated bird, cast brass alloy with silver inlay decoration, Khurasan, Iran, 1150-1200 |
| Physical description | Flask in the form of a bird. The bird's head is the stopper, attached to a long rod which is square in section, tapering to an oval section and finally flattening and curving upwards. The tip is shaped like a spatula, and may have been intended for makeup. The decoration throughout is in silver inlay. The bird's wings are folded across its back. The bird's wings and tail are decorated with a silver-inlaid geometric pattern of scales, dots and parallel lines, indicating primary and secondary feathers. At the base of the tail is a winged quadruped with long ears and flowing tail which is walking to the left and looking back at a scrolling stalk. On the proper right of the neck is a silver-inlaid hare and on the proper left a hound. On the breast of the bird there is a scene of two opposed riders tilting towards a stylised plant, their lances bedecked with banners. On both sides there are single roundels in which a seated, cross-legged figure holds two vertical poles each, topped with dragon heads. These refer to planetary, lunar or solar iconography. At the top of each wing is a pierced hole. The flat underside of the body has a small hole, possibly for attachment to some sort of stand. Patina: red to brown-red. The silver inlay is entirely preserved. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Object history | Unknown provenance |
| Historical context | A related flask, the head-shaped stopper now missing, is depicted in the Survey of Persian Art, pl. 1312B, from the Harari Collection. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Bibliographic reference | Melikian-Chirvani, A.S. Islamic Metalwork from the Iranian World, London:HMSO, 1982, p122, ISBN 0 11 290252 9 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.54:2-1971 |
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| Record created | April 20, 2000 |
| Record URL |
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