Candlestick (Sham'dan) with Scenes of Monthly Labors
13th century
Medium
Brass with engraved decoration and inlaid silver
Dimensions
19.8 × 19.6 × 19.4 cm (7 13/16 × 7 11/16 × 7 5/8 in.)
Classification
candleholder - candlestick
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
21037
Art Historical Context
This exquisite 13th-century Islamiclestick, or *sham'dan*, stands as a testament to the refined metalworking traditions of the medieval Islamic world. Crafted brass and adorned with engraved decoration inlaid with silver, it measures a compact 19.8 × 19.6 × 19.4 cm, perfect for illuminating, mosques, or palaces. The object's functional beauty highlights the era's mastery in blending utility with artistry, where everyday items became canvases for storytelling. The surface features intricate scenes of monthly labors—depictions of agricultural and seasonal activities that cycle through the year—...
About the Artist
Islamic
Islamic art, a profound visual tradition originating in the 7th century CE, flourished across vast territories from Spain to India under Muslim rule, encompassing architecture, ceramics, manuscripts, textiles, and metalwork produced by diverse artisans rather than a single named master. Drawing from pre-Islamic Sasanian, Byzantine, and late antique influences, its early development under the Umayy...