Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Pen Box with Seal of Solomon (Suleyman) and Inkwell
(Islamic World )
The wish found in the inscription: "Glory, prosperity, wealth, happiness, well-being and abundance" is formally expressed in the engraved decoration by a hexagram on this late 12th-early 13th century pen box. For Muslims it was associated with the potent sign on Solomon's seal (rather than David's shield), the magical power of whose shape could draw down divine protection.The six-pointed star is known as the Seal of Solomon (Suleyman) in Islam. At this time it was a symbol common to Islam and Christianity as well as Judaism.
Inscription
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Dikran Kelekian, New York and Paris [date of acquisition unknown], by purchase; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1917, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
Exhibitions
| 1995 | The Allure of Bronze. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. |
| 1984-1985 | Illuminated Manuscripts: Masterpieces in Miniature. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. |
| 1940 | Exhibition of Persian Art. Iranian Institute, New York. |
Conservation
| Date | Description | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| Examination | Examined for display; cleaned |
Measurements
H: 1 13/16 × W: 11 7/8 × D: 3 1/8 in. (4.6 × 30.2 × 7.9 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters, 1917
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
54.450