• Additional view of object
Mar 21, 2013

Text Page, Arabic Prose (verso) Text from The Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Devices (Automata) of Inb al-Razza al-Jazari

Text Page, Arabic Prose (verso) Text from The Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Devices (Automata) of Inb al-Razza al-Jazari

1315

Part of a set. See all set records

Syria, Damascus, Mamluk Period, 14th Century

Ink and opaque watercolor on paper

Overall: 31.3 x 21.5 cm (12 5/16 x 8 7/16 in.)

Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1945.383.b

Location

not on view

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Description

The Arabic title of this work is Kitab fi ma'rifat al-hiyal al handasiyya (The Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Devices). According to the description of the device illustrated on the other side of this page, the peacock is filled with water: as it flows into the vessel below, it raises a float that opens a door in the section above, causing the little figure to move forward offering soap; as more water flows, a second door will open and another figure will move forward offering a towel. Finally, the dirty water is drawn off by means of a spigot.

See also
Collection: 
Islamic Art
Department: 
Islamic Art
Type of artwork: 
Manuscript
Medium: 
Ink and opaque watercolor on paper
Credit line: 
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund

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