Description: The Nazarite kingdom of Granada (1238-1492), the last Muslim power in the Iberian Peninsula, develops a brilliant courtly life, whose palace, the Alhambra of Granada, reminds us of it. Among the most spectacular pieces produced by the Nazarite workshops are a series of monumental vases with gold decoration, sometimes enhanced with cobalt, now known as “vases of the Alhambra.” Only eight copies have been preserved intact. However, remains discovered in the Alhambra suggest more important production. These vases are conventionally designated by the name of their former owner, their current place of preservation, or the reasons that decorate them.[1] These vases take the characteristic form of jars, large wine vessels made in al-Andalus and North Africa in the 10th and 11th centuries. On a cylindrical, fluted base a wide piriform belly opens; the neck, very high and ribbed, is widened by means of a flared lip; two wing-shaped handles, sometimes scalloped, attach the upper body to the neck. These vases are distinguished by their imposing dimensions (up to 1.70 meters) and by their complex decoration, organized mainly in horizontal registers: wide repetitive inscriptions in Kufic (al-mulk l'illah "power belongs to God", often shortened to al-mulk), joined edges, arabesques, ears and geometric friezes cover the surface of the vase. Two of them[2] feature the prophylactic motif jams (“the sacred hand”) on the handles. Others have animal decorations.[3] Only two of these vases have been found in Granada. The designation "vases of the Alhambra" belongs more to romantic legend than historical reality. Most authors attribute this production to the city of Malaga, the main port and cultural and artistic center of the kingdom, where both archaeology and historical sources confirm the production of golden pottery. Pieces of gold earthenware from Malaga were exported from the Mediterranean and to northern Europe, destined for major cuts. In 1289 the inventory of the port of Portsmouth mentions Malaga ceramics "with strange reflections" for Eleanor of Castile, wife of Edward of England. Numerous specialists have tried to organize this production chronologically, based on the shape of the vases and their decoration. The oldest, attributable to the early 14th century, would be the uniquely gilded vases, with great importance to epigraphy and with a relatively squat shape.[4] A second series attributed to the early 15th century would be distinguished by a more spiky profile, with hints of cobalt and more figurative decoration.[5] The function of these vases is another conundrum. Its size, weight, and fragility exclude all practical use. They appear to have occupied large niches at the time such as that which exists in the residences of the Nazarite princes,[6] and several contain poetic inscriptions alluding to vessels of water. This liquid, as well as some decorative motifs (the gazelles on either side of a tree of life, for example), associate these vases, and by extension, the palaces they decorated, with paradise. By their strong physical presence and rich decor they would embody the greatness of the prince and divine perfection. Rediscovered in the 18th century, these vases will achieve great success among collectors. Their scarcity leads some artists to create imitations, some of which are currently in museums. J.-T. Deck and Baron J.-C. Davillier will thus make for the 1862 World's Fair an imitation of the vase of gazelles, purchased by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. In addition to imitations, the vases of the Alhambra and more widely their decorative repertoire, are at the origin of an original creative line: let's mention for example an amazing vase, in metal inlaid with gold and silver signed by Plácido Zuloaga dated 1881. Auctioned at Sotheby’s in April 2006, the item testifies to the fascination that the Alhambra and its artistic legacy still exerts on contemporary collectors Height 40 ctm Diameter 21ctm Reproduction of the vase found in the Alhambra Museum, using the traditional techniques of Nazarite Kingdom pottery
Price: 193.12 USD
Location: Puente del Obispo, Andalucía Ceuta y Melilla
End Time: 2024-12-02T02:56:24.000Z
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