Vase with Arabic Inscriptions
1 of 3
Object Label
Incised on the body of this vase is a medallion bearing an Arabic inscription with the three Names of God in Islam: Insha’allah (Will of God), Ghudratallah (Power of God), and Ni’mat-allah (Grace of God). Incised on the base of the vase is the mark of the Qianlong emperor. It is thought that this vase was made in the imperial workshops in Beijing for use by Muslims living in the city. Palace workshops for European-style glass were established in 1696 by the Kangxi emperor, the grandfather of the Qianlong emperor, under the supervision of French and German Jesuits who were at the Qing court trying to convert the Chinese to Catholicism. Although the Jesuits’ proselytizing was prohibited by the Qianlong emperor, they continued to be important in introducing European technology to China.
Caption
Vase with Arabic Inscriptions, 1736–1795. Glass, 10 1/4 x 5 3/8 in. (26 x 13.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Anonymous gift, 47.219.22. Creative Commons-BY
Collection
Collection
Title
Vase with Arabic Inscriptions
Date
1736–1795
Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
Period
Qianlong Period
Geography
Place made: China
Medium
Glass
Classification
Dimensions
10 1/4 x 5 3/8 in. (26 x 13.7 cm)
Inscriptions
Arabic inscriptions: Three of the Names of God: Insha'allah -- Will of God Ghudrat-allah -- Power of God (omnipotent) Ni'mat-allah -- Grace of God. Translated by: Maryam Ekhtiar Underneath foot: incised and gilded, a four-character mark "Qianlong nian zhi" (Qianlong period made) Written in white on base: 1722 Written in red on base: 47.219.22
Markings
Round, white label on base with red type reads "184" Square, white, lined label on base in pencil reads: "2733" or "273.3" with other characters
Credit Line
Anonymous gift
Accession Number
47.219.22
Rights
Creative Commons-BY
You may download and use Brooklyn Museum images of this three-dimensional work in accordance with a Creative Commons license. Fair use, as understood under the United States Copyright Act, may also apply. Please include caption information from this page and credit the Brooklyn Museum. If you need a high resolution file, please fill out our online application form (charges apply). For further information about copyright, we recommend resources at the United States Library of Congress, Cornell University, Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and Museums, and Copyright Watch. For more information about the Museum's rights project, including how rights types are assigned, please see our blog posts on copyright. If you have any information regarding this work and rights to it, please contact copyright@brooklynmuseum.org.
Have information?
Have information about an artwork? Contact us at