Holding the ewer by its rounded handle, a servant would have poured water into a large matching basin while his master washed his hands in the stream of water flowing from the long spout. The dedicatory inscription on this ewer places it in the reign of Sultan al‑Nasir Muhammad (1310–41).
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Artwork Details
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Title:Ewer
Date:first half 14th century
Geography:Attributed to Egypt
Medium:Brass; inlaid and engraved with silver, copper, and black compound.
Dimensions:H. 17 3/4 in. (45.1 cm) W. 13 1/4 in. (33.7 cm) Diam. 8 1/2 in. (21.6 cm)
Classification:Metal
Credit Line:Edward C. Moore Collection, Bequest of Edward C. Moore, 1891
Accession Number:91.1.600
Inscription: In Arabic: [on neck:] This is one of the objects made for His High Excellency, our Lord, al-Saifi (al-) Nasir Nasir al-Din Muhammad al-Khazindar (the treasurer) [on body:] This is one of the objects made for His High Excellency, our Lord, the Royal, the Well-served, the Defender of the Faith, the Warrior at the Frontiers, al-Saifi Nasir al-Din Muhammad, the Treasurer
Translations by N. Martinovitch: [on neck:] Of what was made by order of his excellency, the High, the Mamluk, Sayfi, Nasir Nasir al-Din Muhammad... [on body:] Of what was made by order of his excellency, the High, the Mamluk, the King, the Sovereign, the Fighter for the Faith, the Warden of Islam, Sayfi, Nasir Nasir al-Din Muhammad... [on spout:] Of what was made by order of his excellency, the High, the Mamluk
Translations by Yassir al-Tabba (1978): [on neck:] Of what was made at the order of the High Excellency, the Lord, the Sword, the Victorious, Nasir al-Din Muhammad al-Khazindar [on body:] Of what was made at the order of the High Excellency, the Lord, the served, the fighter for the faith, the warrior, the sword, the victorious, Nasir al-Din Muhammad [on spout:] Of what was made at the order of the High Excellency
Corrections by Dr. Abdullah Ghouchani (2008): [neck:] Of what was made at the order of the High Excellency, the Lord, the Royal, the Victorious, Nasir al-Din Muhammad al-Khazindar [body:] Of what was made at the order of the High Excellency, the Lord, the served, the fighter for the faith, the warrior, the sword, the victorious, Nasir al-Din Muhammad [spout:] Of what was made at the order of the High Excellency, al-Mu...(not completed)
Edward C. Moore (American), New York (until d. 1891; bequeathed to MMA)
Dimand, Maurice S. A Handbook of Mohammedan Decorative Arts. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1930. pp. 115–17, ill. fig. 54 (b/w).
Dimand, Maurice S. A Handbook of Muhammadan Art. 2nd rev. and enl. ed. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1944. p. 145, ill. fig. 86 (b/w).
Aanavi, Don. "Western Islamic Art." Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin vol. 27, no. 3 (November 1968). p. 202, ill. (b/w).
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