Treasures of Mahometan Art Source: The Lotus Magazine, Vol. 5, No. 4 (Jan., 1914), pp. i-viii Published by: Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20543526 . Accessed: 14/05/2014 14:59 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. . http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 193.104.110.108 on Wed, 14 May 2014 14:59:28 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
Transcript
Treasures of Mahometan ArtSource: The Lotus Magazine, Vol. 5, No. 4 (Jan., 1914), pp. i-viiiPublished by:Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20543526 .
Accessed: 14/05/2014 14:59
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp
.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].
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THE LOTUS LEAFv A SECTION OF THE LOTUS MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE
DESCRIPTION OF ART SALES OF UNUSUAL CHARACTER AND IMPORTANCE
Treasures of Mahometan Art
QO UT of the East, the land of romance and mystery, of colour and figuration, of art
and culture antedating by many centuries our own, there comes to this country a collection of obj ets d'art which will show with.a completeness which similar collections displayed here before have lacked, the work of the ancient Mahometan artists at the height of their attainment. With our brief historical perspective we are apt to think that our art came from Europe. But whoever
will view this collection intelligently, when it is exhibited in the American Art Galleries, will find proof after proof that our recognised con ventions of patt-ern and design have come down to us through many centuries from the East.
This link that joins the present with the past that is one of the points of view from which the philosopher will regard the collection. To the majority, however, it will be its sheer beauty and its antiquity that will prove most potently attractive.
And how varied it is! Were one to say that its chief glory lies in its floor coverings and point to its Oriental rugs and carpets of the XV, XVI and
XVII centuries, from Asia Minor. Persia, the Caucasus and China, another more
Pair of XVI Century Shah Abbas Mosque Light Columns
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intei-ested in Persian and otler Or-ien tal pottery, migllt point to specimens running baclk to the VIII and IX cen turies; a tlhird to the Rao-o-lga lus
teir pieces; to the jevels, the tall lamps. tlhe ancient embroideries
-and so on throughl the whlole gamut ofancientOi-iental art. It is its scope, its -variety, together with its high standard nmain tained in every branclh. that gives the collection its great value.
For example, take tlhe tall lamps tllat have just been rieferred to and \Tlhich so beautifull dec
orate these pages. Thiis paii-of tall liglt columns is one of the most an cient and remarkable ever seen. It came out of the Slhrine of Ar-debil. Pei-sia, and tlhis was
erected at th-e time of Shiah Abbas the Great, during the heiglht of the Persian Renaissance. The panels and bands of tlhese XVI cen tury mosque light columns of br-onze are inlaid vith sil ver and have floral designs and car-touclhes pierced in a
delicate Per sian pattern. For modern
purposes they are equipped witlh elec ti-ic lights, an at-i-an gement that greatly enlhances the beauty of the patter-n to the eye.
One vould hiesitate to step upon the lrugs in this collection. fr-om a feeling
that such poems of coloui- and design should not be tr-ampled under- foot, but slhould be regrarded with the same rever
ence that is accorded to great an tique paintings. And indeed. such riugs as are displayed here, ar-e in
truth old masters of textile art. Not only ar-e the weavers of Asia
Minor repi-esented in the collec tion, but also Chinese rugs of great rarity. One, of the early Ming period. is woven in the form of a tiger skin and showvs a mythological figure a semi-human creature
from the Clhinese demon realms and having an an tiquity of many centu ries. Colouring and de sign are remarkable.
There is among the floor coverings from hither Asia a XV century Ispahan state -LUg, tNwenty-six feet in lengtlh, by eleven in width,, witlh a lovely soft rose field as a back
gt-ound for the
original Ispa hian design in goreen, ivory.
dull gold and blue ; \\TNl-ile large and small pal nettes forni the decoration
on the deep Per sian>blue bor det-, and a nar
rowv green band, bear-ing a small floral
design, separ-ates it from the field. Th-er-e is also a decor-ation of small
flowers on the outer border. The carpet is perfect in colour-ing and design. and
is in a renmarkable state of preservation.
DotU;e-Headed Eagle
St:ag Apollo
Hittite Intaglios
Pversian Pear-S,hzped Ringz Khedives Ring
Roval Persian Jewel LaCquLer Box
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the XVII centur-v is a pravei- ru uv itIl sapphirie-blue grounid and a delicate bord2ll-incg of stamens and filaments.
A holv car-pet of Glioi-dez miay be described botlh as
UniquJe almong ru .(-s
and exquisitel- deli cate and sensitive in the etlical sugoestion in its desio-n that dis tinguishies it f-om otlher- holv cili-pets. At the sxime time it is one of the r-aest of the old Glior-dez praver rugs. and' these are the finest of aill TuL 1ish rLugS.
The design of thiis I-u, beautifully symbolises its pur-pose. Foi- in tlhe field, instead of the usucal lamp hanging fr-om- the centei of the niirh-liab and the two pillar-s suppol-ting
the alclh, th-er-e aie tlhr-ee cartouclhes eaclh containinco at word talk-en from thle Koran. In the one alt the top is tlle
Wy\Tl'd Merhamnet, mleaining im-ercy on1
kindness. The cal-touclhe at the riulolt
contains the vor-d Mouhabet, which is love oi charity,, and the one on the left Mouhar-et, meaning proficiency.
Two desi-ns in dark. blue and red. at the bottonm of the field, mark. the spots on which the devout
Mohammedan placed his knees when h-e knelt in prayer.
The backgr-ound of the entir-e rug is a
beautiful tone of old ivo .Y \vith tlhe de sig-n woven in dar-ik
and lighlt blue withl touches of antique i-ed and gr-een.
In the bor-de- is a cuI ious twig and flowver desig-n in dark ,and lih-lit blue, -ed and gr-een. Above the ar-ch ar-e flowers and scr-olls in dark blue and red.
Mo r - weirid aInd fasci nating than anv Arabian Nights tale, could its past be reaLd. wcould Ibe the history of tlhe curi ous holy car-pet; this mluclh of its his torv is known. Twenty-six years ago
XVIII CelItul-\ Persiai ISpaha1nil Pliue
Hou!l Catrpet of Glniirdez
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it ras cai-ried out of Turkey by a man who w-as obliged to wrv-ap it about his body, putting his clothes over it. Only in this way could he make sure of securing the ruug, for no object used in a mosque is ever allowed to be taken out of Turkey. The restora tion at the top indicates that at some time it wvas proba
bly torn from the wrall of a
nmosque by scavengers of \var, or thievres.
A rare old Damascus holy cal-pet-it dates from the XV century has a design like a piece of traceryr. It is so delicate and harmonious that it gives an effect of lace. Time has worn th-e dyed tlhreads almost to the warp, but tlhe undyed xwhite threads are wvonder
fully presei-red, mak ing the fabric resemble a brocade.
On tlhe center back g-round of deep wrine i-ed is the design in vellow, blue and ivTorv
with touches of green; and these coulou i-s ale
carried thlroughl the
large border, while the four small bordei-s are a dark reddish browvn
w itlh tthe design in an tiqlue i-ed outlined with ivryrV. The otlher two
boi-dei-s are soft yellow wvith r-osettes in red and blue. The col our hiarm-ony in tlhis r-ug is most subtle.
Th-e richest vestments wvorn in Clhris tian clhur-clhes often wNere made fr-om textiles th-at came from the East. Such
is the case with fou r ecclesiastical vest ments in the pr-esent collection. The fact that the par-r-ot, often smbolising
in the Orient the messen ger of love, appears several times in the design of the ,vestments, shows that they
w!ere not originally intended forchurclhlypurposes. Made from a wonderful cloth-of gold sash, Nwoven in Persia in the XVI century during the reign of Shah Abbas, they wver-e presented early in the XVII century to a Po lish priest in Warsaw. So remarikable an example of
cloth-of-gold of their period are they considered, that a small piece missing from the cuff is preserved, framed and
under glass, in the mu seum of Munich.
The ends of the saslh. Which ar-e unusually beautiful, form par-t of the back of the clhasu ble and part of the ends of the stole and cuff. This cuff or maniple was worn on tlle left arm only. Originally a piece of cloth used to wVipe the cup, it grad uallY became more and more elaborate, and finally wvas only used as an ornament or pairt
of the ceremonial robe. The small squar-e wNith
th-e Greek cross embossed in the cen ter-, was probably used as a mat, on
whliclh tlhe reliquary, or casket, con taining the sacr-ed relic was placed.
How clharacter-istic and beautiful are
Chinese Wine Ewer, Ming Period
Persian espahan Jztr
Per'si.n Ispilh.in J ir
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the decor-ations on the smaller ob jets d'art. On the lid an-d along thie sides of a XVI centurv royal Persian lacquer jewel box are scenes representing, a roval lion hiunt. a spi-ited render-ing
bv Pe-sian artists of episodes in the favourite sport of the roval house. On the band around the edoe of the lid
and in the catl-toLcChes on the sides are
the quotations. Whllen you succeed in wvar Rou w-ill be happy,' and the
CUliious -et tl-utlhful ada(-e. The camel
is smaller- than the mouse. when the mouse hias the advantag-e.
What a clhar-ming scene is that de picted on an XVIII century Persian Ispalhan plaque. It bears the name of
the artist Tachabulmulk -and tlhe g,raceful inscription. I anm at your selrVice.
Among- the Mintg^ lpieces in the Clli nese section of the dliv ision is the re mark able \-ine ewer- of whliclh an illus tration is oi\-en in this air-ticle.
Asizt A\oilOl- NIOxScLjle C;u lPet
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A i-ed Peking lacquer- bowl of the XVI II century is of cinnabar- lacquer-, deeply carved. It is of tle Clhien-lun pelriod (1736-179I) .
Among the jewvels. the ''Kledive's ring'c undoubtedly will attract most attention. This ring belonged to the late Ismail Paslha, Khiediv7e
of Egypt up to tlhe time of the
Englislh occILpa tion,when he was
forced to abdi cate. He receiv - ed some five mil lion pounds ster lng for- retiring
and relinquislh ing the reins of government to hiis son. He then took- up 1his resi
dence on the Bosplhorus, w\here lhis death occur-red a few years ago. Thlis ring was his favourite, and it is smnMbolic of the shrine at rhich all the Khedives hav e \vorshipped. The emer ald r-epr-e sents the higher minar-et; the ruby. the dome; and the sapphire, tlle small er-minai-et of the slht-ine.
The otlher- stones fare old diamonds. The smaller
dialm onds forim the
EgyNptian cr-escent on botlh sides of the rinc. This ring- is a crown jewvel, and w-as
purchased fr-om the 1hei-s of the former Khedive.
The w:eapons incluLde a Persian br-onze bcattle-axe, XVI century; Per sian sword. w ith carved silv-er staff, of the XVIII centurv; Ispahan gold in
laid battle-axe of the XVIII century; Yatagan swvord. silver mounted; Per sian s l-e- mounted dagger of the XVI I I centui-r.
The sale of the collection is for the purpose of liquidating the claims of
tlhe foreeign bank ers and billhold ers of the large banking and meir cantile house of 0. Agopoian & Son, of Constan tinople.wvith num erous branches throughout the
Orient, and wvho also w-ere the
pr-opr-ietoi-s of the Musee Orien tale in Stamboul.
The sale, wvhich Mr. Thomas E. Kirby will con
dluct at the American Ai-t Galleries, the after-noons of January 6, 7. 8 and
o( is held bv order of Mr. Frederick C. McLaughlin, representing the for eig,n interests; Messrs. Knauth, Nac hiod and KUhne; and Mr. S. Kent-Cos 'tikvan. The collection will be placed
on exhibition in the Amlerican Ai-t Galler ies on New Year-'s Day. and continue on XT ie\T
up to tlhe end of the sale. Exlhibition and
sale offer- i-ai-e opportunities to view
and secur-e the most remarkable ex
am ples that have ever been seen hei-e
of those beautiful ancient ar-ts that are nowv classed not simply as Oriental but. on account of their rarity, beauty antd individuality. as Malhomnetan.
Rare Mvthcl1iocal Figure Rug,
Chinese Minig Period
XVIII CentUrv Persian Silver Mounted Dag,ger
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