Stand for Water Jar

Stand for Water Jar

This stand is carved from a single block of yellowish-white marble. It has a hollow trunk, chamfered on the corners, and rests on four hoof-shaped feet. The trunk joins a protruding basin through an opening in the form of a tricuspid arch. Four bosses protrude from the body of the stand, two from the top of the trunk, and two from the sides of the basin. This kind of stand, called kilga in Egyptian Arabic, functioned as a support for a large porous clay jar, a type of jar that would allow the water to seep through and fill the basin. In addition to filtering the water, this process also allowed the water to cool off.

The decoration of the stand is crudely carved. The side panels of the trunk bear volutes and there is a three-lobed leaf motif on the panel of the back of the trunk. The four chamfers are decorated with figures: each one of the frontal chamfers shows a figure sitting cross-legged on a low stool, perhaps holding a glass in his hand; each one of the back chamfers shows a striding figure, apparently representing a water carrier due to what seems to be a sheep or goat skin thrown over his back.

The feet of the stand are carved in a lobed pattern reminiscent of sea shells. A badly worn feline head is seen below the front of the massive rim of the basin.

Abdallah Kahli in [Walker et al. 1994]

[ Dikran G. Kelekian (American, born Turkey), New York, until 1920; sold to MMA]

Mexico City. Colegio de San Ildefonso. "Arte Islámico del Museo Metropolitano de Arte de Nueva York," September 30, 1994–January 8, 1995, no. 92.

Dimand, Maurice S. A Handbook of Muhammedan Decorative Arts. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1930. p. 85.

Dimand, Maurice S. A Handbook of Muhammadan Art. 2nd rev. and enl. ed. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1944. p. 103 (no ill.).

Knauer, Elfriede R. "Marble Jar Stands from Egypt." Metropolitan Museum Journal vol. 14 (1979). pp. 67–101.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Daniel S. Walker, Arturo Ponce Guadián, Sussan Babaie, Stefano Carboni, Aimee Froom, Marie Lukens Swietochowski, Tomoko Masuya, Annie Christine Daskalakis-Matthews, Abdallah Kahli, and Rochelle Kessler. "Colegio de San Ildefonso, Septiembre de 1994–Enero de 1995." In Arte Islámico del Museo Metropolitano de Arte de Nueva York. Mexico City: Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes, 1994. no. 92, pp. 228–29, ill. (b/w).