Three
remarkable vessels of green nephrite form part of the collection of the
Kunstkammer of the Kunsthistorisches Museum: two bowls from the first half of
the fifteenth century, and a jug from the second half of the 15th century. It is
believed that all three objects were made in Samarkand or Herat but how they
reached Vienna is not known, most likely they came via Portugal into the
Habsburg collections. Together with the two jade vessels of the Deutschen Orden
(Teutonic Order ) they form an important group of Timurid jade objects at
Vienna.
Both bowls have an oval shape with pointed ends like boats. They have a smooth
surface and the only decoration consists of dragon heads on the handles. The
main difference between the two bowls is their stand, one is oval-shaped and the
other four-lobed.
The jug has a globe shaped body and an almost vertical neck and corresponds to a
typical form of Timurid jugs which appear first in metal. The transition and the
upper rim are accentuated with mouldings. The handles show a carved interlacing
design.
The bowls might date back to the period of the Timurid ruler Ulugh Beg
(1447-1449). He was a grandson of Timur known in Europe as Tamerlane who
conquered around 1400 great parts of Asia and made Samarkand his capital. Single
jade blocs had already been taken to Samarkand in previous campaigns but the
conquest of Mogulistan under Ulugh Beg gave the Timurids access to its great
jade mines. The jug seems to be of a somewhat later date because of its formal
strictness and the rather simplified ornament which appears instead of the
dragon motif on the handles.
The boat-like shape of the bowls points towards Iran. The dragon dragon motif is
widely used and occurs also in Iran. Timurid objects were influenced by Iran but
also by Mongol and Chinese art to the latter points the stylised execution. The
bowls represent thus the syncretistic character of Timurid art in Central Asia
in the fifteenth century.
The dragons head became very popular in Timurid art, and appears on all types
of objects such as sword handles and candle sticks. It seems to be more than a
decorative element but rather a symbol of the power of the dynasty.
based on German text by Ursula Haider
Bibliography:
Seipel W. Hg, Exotica, Ausstellungskatalog des KHM, 2000.
Lentz T. und Lowry G. Hg, Timur and the Princely vision, Los Angeles, 1989.
Born W. Some eastern Objects from the Hapsburg Collections, in: the Burlington Magazine, July December 1936