This engraved copper dish is a refined example of Mamluk metalwork, where narrative figuration and sacred calligraphy intertwine into a surface of power, artistry, and devotion. Its composition balances the immediacy of a warrior scene with the abstraction of geometry and inscription, transforming a vessel into a proclamation of rulership.
Calligraphic Inscriptions
Bands of bold Kufic and Thuluth-style calligraphy circle the outer register, proclaiming blessing and praise:
Arabic:
"العز لمولانا السلطان الملك الناصر العادل محمد بن قلاوون"
Transliteration:
al-ʿizz li-mawlānā al-sulṭān al-malik al-nāṣir al-ʿādil Muḥammad ibn Qalāwūn.
Translation:
“Glory to our lord, the Sultan al-Malik al-Nāṣir, the just, Muḥammad ibn Qalāwūn.”
The inscriptions are interspersed with lance-like forms and arabesque motifs, fusing text with ornament in a seamless rhythm.
Artistic Details
- Central Medallion: A finely detailed mounted warrior, clad in armor and shield, rides a decorated horse. His bearing conveys heroic authority and divine guardianship.
- Aura of Ornament: Around the figure radiate interlaced geometric and vegetal patterns, forming a protective aura that reinforces his central importance.
- Outer Script Band: A broad outer band of flowing calligraphy dominates the rim, its strokes weaving praise and invocations into the vessel’s form.
- Motifs Between Script: Stylized lances, arabesques, and foliate patterns fill the spaces between inscriptions, creating harmony between strength and beauty.
- Surface Patina: The copper body carries a subtle aged patina, with oxidation highlights that deepen relief and allow the raised engravings to catch light in warm tones.
Interpretation
This dish embodies both storytelling and abstraction. The mounted warrior anchors the viewer in a narrative of rulership, while the surrounding inscriptions and patterns extend the composition into cosmic and spiritual dimensions. As a ceremonial object, it projects the dual ideals of the Mamluk court: martial power and divine justice, embodied in the figure of Sultan Muḥammad ibn Qalāwūn.
