Tile from a Frieze

Unknown

early 14th century · Stonepaste; inglaze painted in blue and turquoise, luster-painted on opaque white glaze, modeled · Islamic Art

Once part of a calligraphic frieze within a tomb or religious structure, this tile holds three lines of religious text. Executed in thuluth script, the raised writing of the central band includes the word "the Messenger" and is part of a Qur’anic verse from Sura 2 (The Cow), verse 285. The calligraphic inscriptions painted in luster above and below are from other sections of the Qur’an, although most of the luster on the lower register has worn off. Perhaps set at eye level above a dado of geometric tiles, the full group once formed a continuous band of text. A total of twenty tiles from this frieze are known to exist, including eight in the Museum’s collection.

Artist

Unknown

Date

early 14th century

Medium

Stonepaste; inglaze painted in blue and turquoise, luster-painted on opaque white glaze, modeled

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

Gift of Mrs. Frederick F. Thompson, 1915