Renaissance Venice, Islam and Mahmud the Kurd

by Sylvia Auld

The name of Mahmud the Kurd (probably an itinerant master craftsman working in the second half of the 15th century) has been found on ten small, domestic objects of brass. All are exquisitely worked with intricate arabesques. On one, his signature appears in two forms in Arabic (or Persian), and in transliterated Roman script. Why? For whom was he working, and where? These are the questions which this book tries to answer. The widespread links between Renaissance Europe and Islam, which emerge as part of the trail, may come as a surprise to some readers. The objects listed in this book are not only fascinating in themselves but can be seen as a microcosm of the international exchanges and excursions of the period. Later, in 19th-century Europe, it was even assumed that Mahmud (and others working in the same style) were employed in Venice. This seems improbable following research in the archives, but so far no satisfactory explanation has been offered for Mahmuds double-language signatu