. Glass. cades of spaciousmosques. The period of decline that set in after this time isusually associated with the advance of Timur (Tamer-lane). When in the year 1400 Damascus was taken bythat ruthless conqueror, we are told that he transplantedto his new capital of Samarkand whole regiments ofskilled Syrian artisans, and among these the glass-workers are definitely mentioned. Others of thesemen may have fled to Egypt; in any case the artlingered on in that country for another hundred to Schmoranz, the latest known example ofthis school of Oriental enamelled glass is a lamp fr
. Glass. cades of spaciousmosques. The period of decline that set in after this time isusually associated with the advance of Timur (Tamer-lane). When in the year 1400 Damascus was taken bythat ruthless conqueror, we are told that he transplantedto his new capital of Samarkand whole regiments ofskilled Syrian artisans, and among these the glass-workers are definitely mentioned. Others of thesemen may have fled to Egypt; in any case the artlingered on in that country for another hundred to Schmoranz, the latest known example ofthis school of Oriental enamelled glass is a lamp fromthe mosque of Kait Bey (1467-1495), now in the ArabMuseum at Cairo. In this specimen we see the art inthe lowest stage of decay.^ ^ He reigned during the temporary deposition of Malek This lamp also has, I think, passed into the Pierpont Morgan collection.^ The badge of a sword is very frequent upon these later lamps, but it canhardly in all cases refer to the same sultan or PLATE XXl-I. MOSQUE LAJIP l-RuAl CAIRO ENAMELLED GLASS OF SARACENS The rise and fall of this great school of enamellerson glass covers but a brief period—a glorious interludein the long story of the glass-workers of Egypt andSyria. In the latter country after this time, they appearin a measure to have fallen back upon the older andmore primitive methods, handed down, perhaps, fromthe days of Phoenician and Egyptian domination. Ihave already spoken more than once of the still existingglass-works near Hebron on the high plateau to the westof the Dead Sea. There remain, however, to be mentioned one or twomosque lamps which depart from the normal type. In the lamp (now at South Kensington), apparently ofgreen jade-like glass, which was brought with so manyothers from Cairo by the late Captain Myers, the effectis obtained by a wash of green translucent enamel overthe whole of the inner surface. The outside is coveredwith an effective but somewhat summary decoration ingold and red lines, with
Size: 1286px × 1943px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublisherlondonmethuenandco
