Islamic Art - Syrian Tray, Damascus - Brass And Silver - Adam And Eve - Syria - Folk Art

Late XIXᵉ century - early XXᵉ century

Syria - Damascus

Large circular brass dish finely engraved and richly inlaid with solid silver and red copper, pertaining to Damascene metallurgical productions of the late Ottoman Empire.

The center features an important biblical scene depicting Adam and Eve on either side of the tree of knowledge. The tempting serpent rises from the center of the composition in a vertical movement structuring the entire setting. Around this paradisiacal scene appear birds, stylized vegetation, scrolls and architectural elements treated in an extremely dense decorative spirit, characteristic of the great Damascene works of this period.

The set is entirely worked in burin. The bottom of the tray is covered with tightly engraved decoration leaving no gaps, following an aesthetic inherited from the great oriental inlaid metals inspired by medieval Mamluk production. Solid silver inlays highlight figures, animals and certain plant details, while red copper accentuates several compositional elements, creating a veritable metallic polychromy.

The treatment of the figures has a particularly singular character. Far removed from the academic Western representations of the XIXᵉ century, the figures here adopt an almost archaic folk stylization: schematic faces, hieratic attitudes, free proportions and simplified drawing give the whole a strong, almost timeless presence.

It's not just a matter of the figures themselves.

The central snake plays an essential role in the composition. More than just a narrative detail, it visually structures the scene and links the various decorative registers in a movement akin to oriental calligraphy.

The central snake plays an essential role in the composition.

This type of object belongs to the Damascene productions made for Levantine elites, Eastern Christian communities and the European Orientalist market then booming at the end of the XIXᵉ century. Syrian workshops were reinterpreting the ancient techniques of the great Islamic inlaid metals while integrating universal biblical themes particularly appreciated by Western clientele.

Figurative dishes of this quality remain far less common than purely calligraphic or geometric productions. The theme of Adam and Eve in the Earthly Paradise today constitutes one of the most sought-after iconographies among Levantine metallurgical productions of this period.

The reverse retains traces of manual work. A hanging hook was added at a later date to enable wall display.

The reverse retains traces of handwork.

Condition : Very good overall condition. Wear, slight deformation and old patina consistent with the age of the object. Inlays well preserved. Some localized wear.

Dimensions: Diameter: 33.5 cm

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