this vase is the centrepiece of the Alhambra museum.
there are two verses inscribed on this vase :
“To a gazelle l had.
Oh gazelle!.
you always graze in my garden, lonely and dark-eyed like me: we are both alone with no maste.
Let us bear the sentence of fate patiently!”
by Qasmūna bint Ismail, a 12th-century Jewish poetess of al-Andalus—and one of the very few known female poets.
And
“You left me, oh gazelle!,
bound in the hands of misfortune.
Since you deserted me,
I have known no pleasure in sleep.”
by Ibn Zaydūn (1003 to 1070 CE) one of Andalusia’s most famous poets.
This vase is housed in the museum in Alhambra palace, Granada Spain.
Crafted in the time of Sultan Muhammad V (c. 1370–1380), the Vase of Gazelles, made possibly for the palace of Granada, is not merely a vessel, it is a lyrical fusion of art, poetry, and symbolism, representing the pinnacle of Nasrid ceramic craftsmanship in al-Andalus.
The vase’s elegance is as much technical as it is aesthetic. It reflects the remarkable advancement of ceramic techniques in the Islamic world: lusterware, intricate figuration, and cobalt blue overglaze set against earthy tones. The inscriptions and interlacing motifs echo architectural patterns, mirroring the refined synthesis of art and intellect that defined the Nasrid court
In poetry the characteristics of each animal are symbolic. Power and strength in the case of the lions, or the speed of the doves which act as messengers, while the delicate nature, speed and sweetness of gazelles in poetry have been used to symbolise the soul, the lover or longing for the lover.
From the fine curves of the calligraphy to the rhythmic symmetry of vegetal motifs, every detail of this vase speaks to a world where beauty was divine, and even the everyday object could become a vehicle for transcendence.
As we behold this masterpiece today, we see not just a vase, but an entire world contained in clay, pigment, and poetry.
