Syrian
Fragment of a Mosque Lamp, mid 14th century
Enamel and gilding on brownish glass, 10 x 23.5 cm (3 15/16 x 9 1/4 in.)
This lamp fragment represents the top portion of a mosque lamp—the jagged edge of the glass is visible at the bottom. It appears as though glass or metal has been molded to curve upward to serve as a steady base for the uneven bottom. The lamp fragment tapers in from top to bottom. The top two-thirds is painted off-white with thuluth painted in blue, white, and brown. The bottom third is brown glass. The lamp fragment is displayed on a wooden block.
Long Gallery
Commentary
This fragmentary, 14th century mosque lamp bears an inscription from the Qur'an. The words are formed from enameled letters decorating its flare and rim. They are taken from Sura 9, verse 18, celebrating the true believer's all encompassing commitment to God.
The Qu'ran sanctioned mosque lamps in one of its most famous passages (Sura 24, verse 35):
God is the light of the heavens and the earth.
The parable of His light is as if there were a niche,
And within it a lamp, the lamp inside a glass,
The Glass like a brilliant star
Lit from a blessed tree, an olive from neither East nor West,
Whose oil is almost luminous though scarcely touched by fire...
The Qu'ran sanctioned mosque lamps in one of its most famous passages (Sura 24, verse 35):
God is the light of the heavens and the earth.
The parable of His light is as if there were a niche,
And within it a lamp, the lamp inside a glass,
The Glass like a brilliant star
Lit from a blessed tree, an olive from neither East nor West,
Whose oil is almost luminous though scarcely touched by fire...