Tray Portraying Courtly Pleasures
Unknown Artist
1240s
Medium
sheet brass inlaid with silver
Dimensions
h. 5.8 cm · diam. 53.8 cm
Classification
Metalwork
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
Accession Number
1945.386
About this artwork
This tray features images of courtly life interspersed with astronomical symbols. The scenes contained within large multilobed medallions display an enthroned prince with lions at his feet, a banquet, a hunt, dancers, and musicians. Contained within the concentric circles there are also references to solar and lunar motifs, including figures holding sunbursts and lunar crescents. This tray is made of a single sheet of brass and the silver inlay, which is best preserved on the tray’s inner curve,...