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Lot Essay
The inscription seen on the current censer is Qur’anic (Qur’an, Surah 2:255) and is a commonly-used prayer called Ayat al-Kursi from the Throne verse, popular for its protective properties. It is often seen on talismanic and amuletic objects such as ‘magic’ bowls, arms and armour and talismanic shirts. From an Islamic point of view, it was believed that the content of objects decorated with such texts, would have benefited from the barakah of the holy text that was inscribed on the object.
The prayer can be translated as follows:
Allah! There is no God but He,
the Living, the Self-subsisting, the Eternal.
No slumber can seize Him, nor sleep.
All things in heaven and earth are His.
Who could intercede in His presence without His permission?
He knows what appears in front of and behind His creatures.
Nor can they encompass any knowledge of Him except what he wills.
His throne extends over the heavens and the earth,
and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them,
for He is the Highest and Most Exalted.
Allah, speaks the truth.
Bronze censers with Zhengde reign marks and of the period, cast with Arabic inscriptions are very rare. Other known examples are more commonly decorated with panels enclosing shorter dedicatory inscriptions to Allah and the prophet Muhammad. The long Qur’anic prayer encircling the sides of the current censer is in very fine hand and is highly unusual. The Zhengde emperor is known to have had a keen interest in the Islamic religion and to have studied Arabic language. It is therefore unsurprising that the introduction of Arabic Islamic script on bronze vessels first occurred around 1500, coinciding with his reign period. This series of Islamic-inspired bronzes led to the introduction of blue and white ceramic wares with Arabic and Persian inscriptions, bearing Zhengde reign marks. It is thought that these ceramic wares were made for Muslim Eunuchs at the Ming court.
The incised lotus scroll borders and ruyi-form feet seen on the current censer are echoed on a cylindrical censer decorated with three lobed cartouches of Islamic inscription but with an apocryphal Xuande mark and dated to the 16th century, sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 4 April 2012, lot 143.
For Zhengde mark and period examples with Arabic cartouches, see a censer included in the exhibition catalogue Emperor, Scholar, Artisan, Monk, Sydney L. Moss Ltd., London, 1984, no. 118; and two censers sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 30 May 2005, lot 1395 and 29 May 2007, lot 1657.
The prayer can be translated as follows:
Allah! There is no God but He,
the Living, the Self-subsisting, the Eternal.
No slumber can seize Him, nor sleep.
All things in heaven and earth are His.
Who could intercede in His presence without His permission?
He knows what appears in front of and behind His creatures.
Nor can they encompass any knowledge of Him except what he wills.
His throne extends over the heavens and the earth,
and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them,
for He is the Highest and Most Exalted.
Allah, speaks the truth.
Bronze censers with Zhengde reign marks and of the period, cast with Arabic inscriptions are very rare. Other known examples are more commonly decorated with panels enclosing shorter dedicatory inscriptions to Allah and the prophet Muhammad. The long Qur’anic prayer encircling the sides of the current censer is in very fine hand and is highly unusual. The Zhengde emperor is known to have had a keen interest in the Islamic religion and to have studied Arabic language. It is therefore unsurprising that the introduction of Arabic Islamic script on bronze vessels first occurred around 1500, coinciding with his reign period. This series of Islamic-inspired bronzes led to the introduction of blue and white ceramic wares with Arabic and Persian inscriptions, bearing Zhengde reign marks. It is thought that these ceramic wares were made for Muslim Eunuchs at the Ming court.
The incised lotus scroll borders and ruyi-form feet seen on the current censer are echoed on a cylindrical censer decorated with three lobed cartouches of Islamic inscription but with an apocryphal Xuande mark and dated to the 16th century, sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 4 April 2012, lot 143.
For Zhengde mark and period examples with Arabic cartouches, see a censer included in the exhibition catalogue Emperor, Scholar, Artisan, Monk, Sydney L. Moss Ltd., London, 1984, no. 118; and two censers sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 30 May 2005, lot 1395 and 29 May 2007, lot 1657.