AL MISHKAH

This lamp is based upon the earliest known form of Islamic lighting, which traces back to the 10th century (4th century AH) and continued in use up to the 14th century (8th century AH). These lamps had a bulbous body, either rounded or polygonal, with flaring neck and short foot. They were hung from chains or suspension arms by rings fixed to the body. Early examples can be found at the Islamic Museums in Cairo and Istanbul, in the Davids Samling Collection in Copenhagen and at the Louvre.

The design of the present lamp has been refined and elaborated from the original. THe body and neck are etched and pierced in three sections, separated and surrounded by an etched scrollwork border. The upper bands of openwork on both the neck and body contain calligraphy in Kufi style of a repetition of the Name of God, "Allah." Three different complex geometric arabesques are used in alternation for the central sections. The lower section of the neck consists of a single openwork band adapted from a carved wooden overhang pattern found on traditional Arab houses. The lower section of openwork on the body consists of three bands. The upper and lower bands repeat the wooden overhang pattern while the middle band is a repetition of the Name of Allah. The openwork on the foot repeats the wooden overhang pattern. The base plate is etched and pierced with a central six-pointed star pattern surrounded by foliated arabesque openwork.

The three suspension arms are composed of three etched openwork medallions, attached to the body and extending to a dome and globular finial connected to a ring.

LMAM-42