Ewer with the birds

The ewer with the birds is an objet d'art fatimide in Rock crystal. Manufactured in Egypt at the end of 10th or the beginning of the 11th century, it is equipped with a gold lid made in filigree manufactured in Italy central or southernmost and undoubtedly added to the 11th century. It is currently preserved at the department of the objets d'art of the Musée of Louvre under the number of inventory Mr. 333.

History

This Aiguière comes from the treasure of the Abbaye of Saint-Denis, to which it could be given after an important plundering of the treasure fatimide in 1062. In its Of administratione sweated , the abbot Suger (1081-1151) mentions a lagena which could correspond to the ewer with the birds, although this term is generally reserved for the vases of greater dimensions, in particular because of the qualifier of præclana which is coupled for him.

In 1505, it is proven that this object belonged to the treasure of the abbey of Saint-Denis: it was then engraved by Félibien. It is again quoted in 1634 (inventory 33) then deposited with the central natural history museum of arts the December 5th 1793. It will remain there until today, since this museum became the current museum of Louvre.

Description

High of 24 cm, of a maximum width of 13,5 cm, the ewer with the birds is cut in a very pure Rock crystal in only one piece - even the handle is not brought back. It is composed of a small oblique foot, of a pyriforme paunch, a quasi-cylindrical collar and a prominent nozzle. The handle consists of a right and broad, high part of 4,3 cm and opening in four places of circular holes, the lower hole being blind because it is located in front of the lower fastener connecting this right part to the paunch. Another cylindrical fastener connects the upper part of the handle to the coll It supported a figure in Ronde-bosse whose only the fasteners remain.

The remainder of the decoration, engraved, is located on the body of the object. It is laid out symmetrically around a vegetable reason located under the nozzle which points out the symbol of the Arbre of life. Nénmoins is noticed that engraving is not perfect: this axis of symmetry is a little eccentric. On both sides two birds are of which the plumage is marked small circles, connected to two reasons quadragulaires teminant itself by palmettes. Three mouldings mark the object: one with the bottom of the paunch, around which a plank of rinceaux is organized, and two others on the coll Those go down behind the handle to finish in a kind of grooved sheet. Lastly, a kufic inscription in runs on the top of the paunch; it means “blessing, satisfaction and lack with its owner”.

A lid scutiforme out of gold recovers the nozzle and adapts to it perfectly. Its central part, elevated, comprises a ring to which is hung a small chain. Perhaps this one led to the part disappeared from the ewer: the round bump located on the handle. The circumference of this lid is decorated in filigree with more or less dense reasons, separated by lines from tiny gold pearls.

Technique

The Islamic historian Al-Biruni defines the rock crystal like “most invaluable of the stones. Its value is due with its limpidity and it combines two of the four elements: air and water”. The work of the crystal was carried out, seems it, mainly by abrasion, the sculptor lengthily rubbing the part with sand or a paste containing of the powder of Diamant. Here, however, one notes also the use of the Trépan, in particular to carry out the small holes of the peeling of the animals. This extremely long work was carried to its perfection, as the thickness testifies some to the crystal to the collar: less 3 Misters.

Dating

The ewer with the birds belongs to a group of six similar ewers, all preserved in European treasures: one is with the Victoria and Albert Museum, one in the cathedral of Fermo, one with the Palais Pitti with Florence and two finally belong to the treasure of the Cathédrale Saint-Marc. Each one of these ewers the same form, the collar girds of two mouldings (three for that of Victoria and Albert Museum) and an annular base of oblique profile. The handle is always cut in the mass; when it was preserved, it is noted that it was each time surmounted by a figure in sculpture in the round, but only the ewer with the lions of Saint-Marc preserved the whole ibex on its handle. The decoration is always organized in a symmetrical way around a tree of life and puts in scene two animals or groups of animals. Those can be lions (Saint-Marc), rams (Saint-Marc), a group with a bird attacking a gazelle (Victoria and Albert Museum) or birds, as on those of Louvre, the Pitti Palate and Fermo. These reasons are always worked in the same way, with small circles dug on the body.

Two of these ewers are dated: that with the lions of Saint-Marc comprises an inscription in the name of the caliph Fatimide Al-Aziz Billah, who reigned between 975 and 996; as for that of Florence, it mentions Husain ibn Jawhar “ordering of the commanders”, character who carried this title of 1000 to 1008 then in 1010 - 1011. One can thus legitimately think that the ewer of Louvre also goes back it to this period, that is to say the end of.

Persians influences

The ewer of Louvre, like all the series besides, indicates of an important Persian influence, in the form, but also in the decoration and the technique.

It is first of all advisable to specify that it is in Iran which one finds the first cut hard stone traces, the sard in particular, to which the technique is very close to that of the rock crystal. Moreover, at the same time, one also observes the appearance of the cut glass, a matter which points out the crystal by its transparency.

The form would be inspired by model Iranians, since the lengthened nozzle appears already in goldsmithery sassanide. One thus preserves of them several examples in various European museums. The general form is also found in parts of glassmaking Persian with. On the handle of a silver sassanide ewer of the Louvre museum, one also finds a figurine of ibex, as that which one sees on the ewer of the treasure of Saint-Marc. Even if, within sight of the fasteners of the figure disappeared from the ewer to the birds, it is not a question as on that of Al-Aziz of an ibex, the idea of an animal in round bump posed on the handle seems nevertheless to come from Iran.

The naturalism of the decoration is also an element which one can bring closer to Iran

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