Oil Lamp10th century

On view:

Geffen Galleries, Islamic Art and Late Antiquity

Title: Oil Lamp
Place Made: Iran, probably Nishapur
Date Made: 10th century
Medium: Bronze
Dimensions: Length: 8 in. (20.32 cm)
Credit Line: The Madina Collection of Islamic Art, gift of Camilla Chandler Frost
Accession Number: M.2002.1.580
Classification: Metal
Collecting Area: Art of the Middle East: Islamic
Curatorial Notes: The tradition of transforming everyday utensils into playfully ambiguous objects is a hallmark of Islamic art. In this traditional bronze lamp, whose shape harks back to classical antiquity, the artist saw the possibilities of transforming its handle into a pair of confronted birds. Intended to provide light and perhaps to amuse as well, the lamp was likely meant for personal use, given its small scale. A very similar lamp was excavated by the Metropolitan Museum of Art at Nishapur, in northeastern Iran.
Selected Bibliography: Lo Terrenal y lo Divino: Arte Islámico siglos VII al XIX Colección del Museo de Arte del Condado de Los Ángeles. Santiago: Centro Cultural La Moneda, 2015.