Artwork Page for Mosque Lamp

Details / Information for Mosque Lamp

Mosque Lamp

1585–95

Turkey, Iznik, Ottoman period

(1299–1922)
Medium
Fritware with underglaze design
Measurements
Overall: 28.4 x 19.5 cm (11 3/16 x 7 11/16 in.); Diameter of rim: 17 cm (6 11/16 in.)
Credit Line
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1944.236
Public Domain
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Location
116 Islamic
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Did You Know?

Fritware is made of ground quartz, glass frit, and a small proportion of fine white clay to approximate the light color and weight of Chinese porcelain.

Description

Mosque lamps typically functioned as a lampshade, containing an oil lamp inside. Due to the opacity of this Ottoman lamp, it is likely that its primary function was not illumination. Instead, it would have been hung from chains in a mosque or mausoleum to add to the beauty of the space. This lamp is decorated with bright red carnations and blue hyacinths with additional floral and vegetal elements. The turquoise loops would have served for suspension from the ceiling. It is also possible that lamps like this were used as acoustic devices, softening the echo of prayer and discussion within the mosque’s halls.
A floral-patterned ceramic vessel with a round body narrows into a neck as tall as the body, flaring at the rim. Two turquoise-color loops attach at the upper body. They flank a large central design of five flaring red carnations nearly encircled by two stems dotted with small blue hyacinths. This pattern repeats in a smaller scale on the neck with the hyacinths in the center flanked by carnations.

Mosque Lamp

1585–95

Turkey, Iznik, Ottoman period (1299–1922)

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