Dish thumbnail 1
Dish thumbnail 2
On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

Dish

1540-1550 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Italy (made)
Venice (made)

Many metal wares that are referred to as ‘Veneto-Saracenic’ were in fact produced in Islamic lands. But this broad-rimmed dish was clearly made by a Venetian. We know this because of the character of ‘arabesque’ ornament that is engraved and inlaid on the surface. This has a tendency to form European-looking cartouches, volutes and shields.

Object details

Category
Metalwork
Object type
Dish
Materials and techniques
brass chased and overlaid
Silver
Brass
Engraving (Incising)
Brief description
Brass charger with 'Veneto-Saracenic' decoration, Italy (probably Venice), 1540-50.
Physical description
Round brass dish with broad rim, decorated with silver wire in a European imitation of arabesque designs.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 49.5cm
  • Height: 5cm
Style
Veneto-Saracenic
Gallery label
(Jameel Gallery)
Jameel Gallery

Brass Charger
Italy, probably Venice
1540-50

This charger was made in Italy, where it was decorated in the Veneto-Saracenic style. Its Italian origin is clear from its European shape and from the details of the decoration. The knotwork, for instance, resembles designs by European painters such as Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528). It is much more elaborate than Islamic examples.

Brass and silver wire

Museum no. 259-1894
(Used until 06/2004)
DISH
Brass damascened in silver
ITALIAN (Venice); 1540-50
259-1894
This dish is damascened; a technique which involved decorating engraved iron, brass or steel with gold or silver wire. The technique originated in Damascus and was mostly used by Islamic craftsmen. The style of this dish is similar to work by Sain ad-Din who made the bucket (1826-1888) shown in this case. The dish could have been made either by and Islamic artist working in Venice or by a Venetian who had trained with an Islamic master.
SALVER
Brass, engraved and inlaid with silver
Venetian-Saracenic; early 16th century
Historical context
Much so-called "Veneto-Saracenic" metalwork was actually produced in Mamluk lands for export to Europe. This example, though, is the product of a Venetian craftsman working in a Mamluk-inspired idiom, as can be seen in the highly Europeanizing arabesque.
Summary
Many metal wares that are referred to as ‘Veneto-Saracenic’ were in fact produced in Islamic lands. But this broad-rimmed dish was clearly made by a Venetian. We know this because of the character of ‘arabesque’ ornament that is engraved and inlaid on the surface. This has a tendency to form European-looking cartouches, volutes and shields.
Bibliographic references
  • Sievernich, Gereon, and Budde, Hendrik, Europa und der Orient 800-1900 , Berlin, 1989. Catalogue of the exhibition, 28 May - 27 August, 1989. Catalogue entry 4/100 pp603-4, (Ill.227, p203)
  • Ward-Jackson, Peter. 'Some main streams and Tributaries in European Ornament (1500 to 1750). The Arabesque' In: Victoria and Albert Museum Bulletin, Vol.3, 3, 1967. pp. 90-103
  • James Allan, Metalwork of the Islamic World: The Aron Collection (London: Sotheby's, 1986), p. 60.
  • 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.129
  • Sylvia Auld, Renaissance Venice, Islam and Mahmud the Kurd. A metalworking enigma, 2004, no.5.29, p.236.
Collection
Metalwork Collection
Accession number
259-1894

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Record createdOctober 24, 2003
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O84935/dish-unknown/
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