• Eastern Turkey, Kutahya, 18th century 
  • Underglaze painted composite body
  • Inv. 220

Lamp

The shape of this small lamp, which may have been commissioned for private use, is different to that of mosque lamps, but was produced in Kutahya and uses the same range of colours as the bowl decorated with Christian symbols (also shown in this section).

The decoration, set in horizontal sections, consists of pierced star-shaped motifs that alternate with floral motifs in blue on a white ground. The faces of angels in half palmettes, surmounted by a cross, can be seen on the handle and rim.

Most lamps from this period were made of metal and acted as prototypes for the few existing ceramic lamps. They normally have three handles for suspension chains and are larger than this piece.

Acquired by Calouste Gulbenkian through Howard Carter, Cairo, 23 March 1929.

H. 16 cm 

Bochum 1995

Armenian Wiederentdeckung einer alten Kulturlandschaft, exhibition catalogue. Bochum: Museum Bochum, 1995, p. 318, no. 213.

London 2001

Vrej Nersessian, Treasures from the Ark. 1700 Years of Armenian Christian Art, exhibition catalogue. London: The British Library, 2001, p. 145, no. 61.

Updated on 22 april 2022

Cookies settings

Cookies Selection

This website uses cookies to improve your browsing experience, security, and its website performance. We may also use cookies to share information on social media and to display messages and advertisements personalised to your interests, both on our website and in others.