Physical description
Large shallow brass tray, with engraved decoration originally inlaid in gold and silver, most of which has been lost.
Place of Origin
Egypt (probably, made)
Syria (possibly, made)
Date
1330-1360 (made)
Artist/maker
unknown (production)
Materials and Techniques
The tray is made of a copper alloy, most probably brass. It was hammered from sheet to form a flat, circular surface, to which a low, vertical rim was attached. The upper surface was engraved with a complex design, which was "inlaid" with gold and silver, most of which has been lost. The term "inlay" is conventionally used by art historians in the context of Islamic metalwork to describe a type of decoration that, in this case at least, probably involved the following procedure:
1. The surface of the brass was engraved with the design;
2. a black organic substance was used as infill in the areas where the gold or silver accents were to be placed; and
3. pieces of gold or silver foil, cut to shape, were stuck on to these filled areas, and the edges of the foil were then pushed down into lines already engraved in the brass.
The foil was held in place both by the black infill and by the way its edges were inserted into the engraved lines.
In its original condition, the overall effect of the decoration must have been magnificent, as almost the whole surface would have been covered with precious metal foil. It also seems that the details of the design were heightened by pushing the black organic infill into parts of the engraved design not overlaid with foil. To uninformed observers of such work, it would have appeared that the tray was inlaid with gold and silver rather than overlaid with foil over a black filler, and this is how the conventional description of "inlay" came about.
Marks and inscriptions
Glory to our lord the Sultan, the king, wise, diligent and just, who harries the enemy -- May his victories be glorified!
b
c
d
e
f Glory to our lord the Sultan al-Malik al-Nasir, who is wise, diligent and just, who harries the enemy, ever engaging in Holy War, who is always at his station, ready to defend the frontiers, who has divine support and is granted victory, Nasir al-Dunya wa'l-Din, who slays the unbelievers and the idolaters, who revives justice among the inhabitants of the world, father of the poor and the indigent, Sultan al-Malik al-Mansur Nasir al-Dunya wa'l-Din.
Dimensions
Diameter: 78.7 cm
Descriptive line
Circular brass tray with inscriptions, Egypt (probably Cairo), 1320-1340.
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Stanley Lane-Poole, The Art of the Saracens in Egypt, London, 1886, pp.229.
Records the inscriptions, with some errors in the reading (e.g. /al-¿aadir/ for /al-ghaazii/), and describes the decoration. Attributes the tray to the reign of Sultan Muhammad ibn Qalawun.
Gaston Wiet, Catalogue général du Musée arabe du Caire. Objets en cuivre, Cairo, 1932, p.27, no.12.
Listing only. Attributes the tray to the reign of Sultan Muhammad ibn Qalawun.
James W. Allan, 'Sha'ban, Barquq, and the Decline of the Mamluk Metalworking Industry', Muqarnas, II, 1984, p. 85; p. 85, plate 1; and note 1 on pp.92-3.
The inscriptions are re-published in note 1 on pp. 92-3, correcting Lane-Poole in many places but also making small but significant omissions. (Lane-Poole unknown to him, apparently.) Due to these omissions, the tray is dated on p. 85 to the reign of al-Malik al-Mansur Muhammad (1361-3) or of al-Malik al-Mansur 'Ali (1377-82).
Rachel Ward, "Brass, Gold and Silver: Metal Vessels Made for Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad. A Memorial Lecture for Mark Zebrowski. Given at the Royal Asiatic Society on 9 May 2002", Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, third series, XIV/1, April 2004, p. 72.
Listing only. Attributes the tray to the reign of Sultan Muhammad ibn Qalawun.
Tim Stanley, Palace and Mosque. Islamic Art from the Middle East, London, 2004, p. 93, pl. 105; p. 97.
The text follows Allan but replaces Allan's suggested patrons with al-Malik al-Mansur Abu Bakr (1341) and al-Malik al-Mansur Muhammad (1361-3) and therefore dates the tray to the period 1341-63.
Tim Stanley, "Islamic Art at the V&A", in The Making of the Jameel Gallery at the Victoria and Albert Museum, ed. Rosemary Crill and Tim Stanley, London, 2006, pp.8-9; p.9, fig.1.6.
Remarks on the early date of purchase (1854, two years after the Museum opened) and the decoration.
Exhibition History
Palace and Mosque: Islamic Art from the Victoria and Albert Museum (The Millennium Galleries, Sheffield 14/01/2006-16/04/2006)
Palace and Mosque: Islamic Art from the Victoria and Albert Museum (Setagaya Art Museum, Tokyo 01/10/2005-04/12/2005)
Palace and Mosque: Islamic Art from the Victoria and Albert Museum (Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, Texas 03/04/2005-04/09/2005)
Palace and Mosque: Islamic Art from the Victoria and Albert Museum (National Gallery of Art, Washington 18/07/2004-06/02/2005)
Labels and date
TRAY
Brass with gold and silver inlay
EGYPT (MAMLUK); early 14th century
The inscriptions contain the titles of the Mamluk Sultan Nasir al-Din, referring to Muhammad ibn Qala'un, who reigned three times: 1293-4, 1299-1308 and 1309-41 AD [Used until 10/2002]
Circular Tray
Egypt, probably Cairo
1341-63
The seven inscriptions contain blessings for the reigning sultan. The largest script reads, 'Glory to our lord the Sultan, the wise, the diligent, the just, the warlike king. May his victories be glorified.' Another mentions al-Malik al-Mansur, a title borne by two sultans who ruled in 1341 and 1361-3 respectively.
Engraved brass with traces of inlay in silver, gold and a black composition
Museum no. 420-1854 [Jameel Gallery]
Materials
Silver; Gold; Brass
Techniques
Inlay; Hammering
Categories
Islam; Metalwork
Collection code
MES
