Cleveland Museum of Art

Luxury Ewer Extending Good Fortune to the Owner

Ahmad al-Dhaki al-Mawsili

Date

1223

Medium

brass inlaid with silver; lid and base added later

Culture

Iraq, possibly Mosul, Zangid or Artugid Period, 13th Century

Department

Islamic Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

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 good fortune, prosperity, and peace to the owner. The ewer is dated 1223 and signed by the master craftsman Ahmad al-Dhaki of Mosul. Later owners roughly scratched their names into the neck of the ewer.

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