Ewer thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Islamic Middle East, Room 42, The Jameel Gallery

Ewer

late 15th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Netherlands (made)
Germany (made)
Syria (decorated)

This ewer shows how it can be difficult to unravel the many different influences generated by intense trade across the Mediterranean in the late 15th century. The piece was made in northern Europe. However, the ornament on the lid includes the coat of arms of the Molino family of Venice, and the decoration was probably executed in Syria. It seems that a member of the Molino family sent the ewer to Syria to be decorated in an Islamic style. It was then returned to Italy.


Object details

Categories
Images Online
SCRAN
Object type
Ewer
Materials and techniques
Brass, engraved and damascened with silver and with filling of black lac
Brass (Alloy)
Silver
Engraving (Incising)
Damascened
Brief description
Brass ewer with Veneto-Saracenic ornament, The Netherlands or Germany, 1450-1500.
Physical description
Ewer with the arms of Molino of Venice; brass engraved and damascened with silver and with filling of black lac, decoration probably done in Syria
Dimensions
  • Height: 34cm
  • Diameter: 18cm
Style
Veneto-Saracenic
Gallery label
  • Jameel Gallery Brass Ewer with Veneto-Saracenic Ornament The Netherlands or Germany 1450-1500 This vessel was made in northern Europe. But the ornament on the lid includes the coat-of-arms of the Molino family of Venice, and the decoration was probably executed in Syria. It seems that a member of the Molino family sent the ewer to Syria to be decorated in an Islamic style, and it was then returned to Italy. Brass with decoration engraved and inlaid in silver Museum no. M.32-1946. Gift of Dr W.L. Hildburgh, FSA(Jameel Gallery)
  • EWER Engraved brass, formerly inlaid with silver, the ground of the design filled with black composition FLEMISH; 1450-1500, decorated by an Islamic craftsman for a Venetian patron Given by Dr. W.L. Hildburgh F.S.A. This form of ewer is a type that was made in German and Flemish workshops in the second half of the fifteenth century. The engraved decoration which incorporates Arabic letters has been carried out by an Islamic craftsman, probably from Syria or Egypt, for a Venetian patron, a member of the Molino family whose arms are engraved on the ewer.(Used until 06/2004)
Credit line
Gift of Dr W. L. Hildburgh, FSA
Subject depicted
Coat of Arms
Summary
This ewer shows how it can be difficult to unravel the many different influences generated by intense trade across the Mediterranean in the late 15th century. The piece was made in northern Europe. However, the ornament on the lid includes the coat of arms of the Molino family of Venice, and the decoration was probably executed in Syria. It seems that a member of the Molino family sent the ewer to Syria to be decorated in an Islamic style. It was then returned to Italy.
Associated object
539-1869
Bibliographic references
  • Sievernich, Gereon, and Budde, Hendrik, Europa und der Orient 800-1900 , Berlin, 1989. Catalogue of the exhibition, 28 May - 27 August, 1989. 923 p., ill. ISBN 3750048144 Catalogue entry 4/97 p601, Ill.692 p600
  • Scerrato, Umberto, Metalli islamici, 1966. Nr.36
  • Tim Stanley ed., with Mariam Rosser-Owen and Stephen Vernoit, Palace and Mosque: Islamic Art from the Middle East, London, V&A Publications, 2004; p. 127, plate 152.
  • The First Four Centuries, Islamic Metalwork from the Iranian World 8th-18th centuries, 1982
  • Sylvia Auld, Renaissance Venice, Islam and Mahmud the Kurd. A metalworking enigma, 2004, no.8.3, p.294.
Collection
Metalwork Collection
Accession number
M.32-1946

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Record createdNovember 7, 2002
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O69504/ewer-unknown/
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