Mosque Lamp
ca. 1468-1496 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This enormous hanging lamp holder was originally made for the Mamluk sultan Qa'itbay (1468-96). The central medallions carry blazons that read, ‘Glory be to our master the Sultan al-Malik al-Ashraf Abu'l-Nasr Qa'itbay, may his victories be glorious’. Except for their size, the two inscriptions in inlaid silver in the upper and lower bands are identical. They read:
Glory to our lord the Sultan, the most noble ruler, sultan of Islam and the Muslims, reviver of justice in the world, suppressor of the immoral and rebellious, sultan of the Arabs and Persians, lord of the two seas, servant of the Two Holy Shrines, master of kings and sultans, Commander of the Faithful, Abu'l-Nasr Qa'itbay, may God Almighty make his reign long!
These triumphs of the calligrapher's and metalworker's art would have been invisible when the light was shining from inside the holder. But we can still appreciate the skill required to create them.
This lamp holder is very similar to one now in the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo.
Glory to our lord the Sultan, the most noble ruler, sultan of Islam and the Muslims, reviver of justice in the world, suppressor of the immoral and rebellious, sultan of the Arabs and Persians, lord of the two seas, servant of the Two Holy Shrines, master of kings and sultans, Commander of the Faithful, Abu'l-Nasr Qa'itbay, may God Almighty make his reign long!
These triumphs of the calligrapher's and metalworker's art would have been invisible when the light was shining from inside the holder. But we can still appreciate the skill required to create them.
This lamp holder is very similar to one now in the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo.
Object details
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Object type | |
Parts | This object consists of 3 parts.
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Materials and techniques | Brass, pierced, inlaid and engraved |
Brief description | Hexagonal brass lamp-holder made for the Mamluk sultan Qa'itbay, Egypt (probably Cairo), 1468-1496. |
Physical description | Hexagonal brass mosque lamp, tapering upwards and surmounted by a dome with a suspension hook in the form of a dragon. The sides of the lamp are pierced and engraved, and decorated with silver and gold inlay. Borders of Quranic inscriptions are at top and bottom of each side, and a large medallion at the centre bears the blazon of the Mamluk Sultan Qayit Bay (1468-1496). One side is open as the original door for accessing the candle is missing. It is almost identical to a lamp now in the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo, from the Mosque of Asal Bay (the wife of Qa'it Bay), also in Cairo. See The Arts of Islam. Exhibition held at the Hayward Gallery, 8 April-4 July 1976 (London : The Arts Council of Great Britain, 1976): cat.no.227, p.196. |
Dimensions |
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Style | |
Marks and inscriptions |
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Gallery label | Jameel Gallery
Lamp-Holder of Sultan Qa'itbay
Egypt, probably Cairo
1468-96
This huge lamp-holder was once suspended in a mosque built for Sultan Qa'itbay, who is named in all of the inscriptions. Later it was damaged in a fire and then buried, and only the sides survive. Originally it had a domed top and, at the bottom, a tray pierced with holes that held small glass lamps.
Brass inlaid with gold, silver and a black composition.
Museum no. 109-1888(Jameel Gallery) |
Production | Made for a mosque in Cairo built by the Mamluk Sultan Qa'itbay (r. 1468-1496). |
Summary | This enormous hanging lamp holder was originally made for the Mamluk sultan Qa'itbay (1468-96). The central medallions carry blazons that read, ‘Glory be to our master the Sultan al-Malik al-Ashraf Abu'l-Nasr Qa'itbay, may his victories be glorious’. Except for their size, the two inscriptions in inlaid silver in the upper and lower bands are identical. They read: Glory to our lord the Sultan, the most noble ruler, sultan of Islam and the Muslims, reviver of justice in the world, suppressor of the immoral and rebellious, sultan of the Arabs and Persians, lord of the two seas, servant of the Two Holy Shrines, master of kings and sultans, Commander of the Faithful, Abu'l-Nasr Qa'itbay, may God Almighty make his reign long! These triumphs of the calligrapher's and metalworker's art would have been invisible when the light was shining from inside the holder. But we can still appreciate the skill required to create them. This lamp holder is very similar to one now in the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo. |
Bibliographic references |
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Collection | |
Accession number | 109-1888 |
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Record created | April 3, 2003 |
Record URL |
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