This deep basin, worked in engraved bronze, is a vessel of layered symbolism where geometry, fauna, and regal emblems merge into a vision of cosmic order. Its broad surface and expansive rim transform utility into proclamation, fusing function with meaning.
Calligraphic & Symbolic Inscriptions
While no extended script dominates, the basin speaks through its symbolic program: stars, crowns, gates, fish, and geometric bands, each inscribed with the intention to bind heaven, earth, and abundance into a single cycle.
Artistic Details
- Central Medallion: At the heart lies a six-pointed star (interlocked triangles), enclosing a vegetal rosette. The form acts as a cosmic knot, binding heaven and earth, balance and order.
- Radiant Zigzags: Surrounding the star are concentric zigzag bands, resembling rays of light or protective flames. They radiate outward while forming a shield of boundary and sanctity.
- Inner Wall Engravings: The sloping sides are decorated with alternating fish motifs, aligned in continuous rhythm. Fish, emblems of abundance, sustenance, and unseen depths, swim in perpetual motion around the star.
- Crowns & Gateways: Between the bands appear crowns, symbols of authority and divine sanction, and gates, markers of passage and transition. Together, they suggest portals between worldly and spiritual realms.
- Outer Border: The rim carries dense, hatched geometry, woven like a fence of protection, encircling the basin in order and security.
- Exterior Motifs: The outer wall is engraved with carrot-like vegetal forms, adding a rustic yet symbolic ornament, grounding the cosmic imagery with earth’s produce.
Interpretation
This basin is not merely a vessel for water or offerings; it is a microcosm in metal. At its center, the star and rosette symbolize unity and cosmic balance. Around them, flames, crowns, gates, and fish embody light, power, passage, and abundance. The protective geometry at the edge holds the cosmos intact. In this vision, the basin becomes a mirror of harmony, binding the celestial with the earthly, the sacred with the utilitarian.
