This is a large Mamluk Revival floor vase, made in Cairo during the late 19th or early 20th century.
The Calligraphic
The surface of the vase is extensively decorated with hand-engraved Arabic calligraphy in the Thuluth script. The text has been identified as the 99 Names of Allah (Asma’ al-Husna – أسماء الله الحسنى), which covers the majority of the vessel’s body in continuous panels.
Construction and Form
The piece is constructed from brass and displays a dark, age-related patina. Its form is sectional and characteristic of the style:
- A wide, flaring neck with a lobed rim.
- A large, faceted body, providing the primary surface for the inscription.
- A splayed, squared foot at the base.
Historical Context
This object is a product of the Mamluk Revival (also termed “Cairene Ware”), a style that flourished in Cairo circa 1890-1920. Artisans of the period adapted designs and techniques from the historical Mamluk Sultanate (1250–1517), largely for a European market interested in Islamic art and what was then termed “Orientalist” design.
