Ornamental Alms Bowl (Kashkul) with Foliate Decoration
17th century
Description
Bowls of this shape were carried by Muslim mendicants and ascetics who renounced worldly possessions and relied on alms for sustenance. Carved from a single piece of jade, this bowl is unlikely to have served as an ascetic’s begging bowl. It was probably intended for display in a shrine or gathering place for mystics. By its very form the bowl would have reminded viewers of alms-giving—an essential duty for Muslims.
Dimensions
H: 6 x W: 18.5 x Depth: 12.8 cm (2 3/8 x 7 5/16 x 5 1/16 in.)
Provenance
Edwin Binney, 3rd, California (before 1985), bequest; to the Harvard University Art Museums, 1995. NOTE: Stored at the San Diego Museum of Art from some time before 1986 until 1991, then at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art from 1991 to 1995.
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