Jewelled Mughal Sprinkler

This exceptionally well-crafted sprinkler was probably made in an imperial Mughal workshop sometime in the mid-11th AH/mid-17th century CE. During Mughal emperor Shah Jahan's reign (r. 1037-68 AH/1628-58 CE), white coloured jades found popularity at the court, a trend that coincided with the royal patronage of white marble buildings, such as the Taj Mahal. Fashioned from two pieces of jade and inlaid with spinels, rubies, and emeralds set in the traditional kundan technique, this sprinkler reveals the high level of artistic and technical mastery achieved by Mughals craftsmen. Carved in a bulbous shape that narrows towards the neck, the entire centre was masterfully hollowed out through a single, small round opening. The same technique was deployed for the cylindrical neck, which curves slightly to one side. The sprinkler rests on a small circular pedestal, carved from the same jade as the bottom portion. The overall decoration is restrained yet elegant; it consists of two iris flowers stemming from a single vegetal tuft surrounded by rows of red petals. This sprinkler most probably once contained rose water.