Luxury Ewer Extending Good Fortune to the Owner
Medium
brass inlaid with silver; lid and base added later
Dimensions
h. 37.9 cm · diam. 26.6 cm
Classification
Metalwork
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
John L. Severance Fund
Accession Number
1956.11
Tags
male
About this artwork
This silver inlaid ewer was produced for luxury clientele. The wide band around the body of the vessel displays vignettes of daily and courtly life contained within multilobed medallions. Some of the scenes feature falconry, hunting, dancing, and several groups of musicians. All these scenes are set off against a skillfully executed arabesque background—a pervasive motif in Islamic art characterized by interwoven vegetal and curvilinear elements. An inscription around the ewer’s shoulder extends...