This moulded tile is a tomb marker. Important tombs were often covered by large markers made of stone, wood, or tile, as here. The arched design is a miniature representation of the mihrab, the niche in a mosque that marks the direction of Mecca.
The mihrab design showed that the deceased was buried in accordance with Islamic law, oriented towards the Ka'bah in Mecca. The framing inscription in blue on this tile contains the 112th surah, or chapter, of the Qur'an. It is called ‘al-Ikhlas’ (Purity of Faith).
Physical description
Single-tile mihrab, fritware with overglaze decoration in lustre and cobalt blue, with inscription running along border and a hanging lamp inside the niche.
Place of Origin
Kashan, Iran (probably, made)
Date
ca. 1300 (made)
Artist/maker
unknown (production)
Materials and Techniques
Moulded fritware with colour in and lustre over the glaze
Marks and inscriptions
Qur'an surah 112
Qur'an 2:255
Dimensions
Height: 62 cm, Width: 42 cm
Object history note
This tile is a pair with another tile in the V&A (1527-1876), though the inscriptions are not identical. The other tile is signed by the artist Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Ali al-Husaini, so this one may be assigned to him as well. Both tiles depict a mosque lamp suspended in a niche, a motif which recalls the Qur'anic "light" verse (surah 24, verse 35): "Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of his light is as if there were a niche and within it a lamp, the lamp enclosed in a glass, the glass as it were a brilliant star". This motif was especially popular in Shi'i mosques. The actual inscription on this mihrab tile is also from the Qur'an, from surah 112 along the outer border, and surah 2, verse 255 inside the arch. Both these verses emphasise the supremacy, omnipotence and unity of Allah.
Descriptive line
Single-tile tomb-marker in the form of a mihrab, Iran (probably Kashan), about 1300.
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Oliver Watson, Persian Lustre Ware, London, 1985, pp. 122, 149, 179, colour plate N
The Legacy of Genghis Khan: Courtly Art and Culture in Western Asia, 1256-1353. Exhibition catalogue, edited by Linda Komaroff and Stefano Carboni. (New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art; 2002); cat.no.124, fig.151
Exhibition History
The Legacy of Genghis Khan: Courtly Art and Culture in Western Asia, 1256-1353 (Los Angeles County Museum of Art 13/04/2003-27/07/2003)
The Legacy of Genghis Khan: Courtly Art and Culture in Western Asia, 1256-1353 (Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York 28/10/2002-16/02/2003)
Labels and date
CENTRE OF A TILE-WORK PRAYER-NICHE
Earthenware painted in lustre, blue and green.
PERSIAN (KASHAN); middle of 13th century. [Used until 2002]
Single-tile Tomb-marker
Iran, probably Kashan
About 1300
This tile is a representation in miniature of the mihrab, the niche in a mosque that marks the direction of Mecca. The mihrab design showed that the deceased was buried in accordance with Islamic law, oriented towards the Ka'bah in Mecca. The framing inscription in blue contains the 112th surah, or chapter, of the Qur'an, called al-Ikhlas (Purity of Faith).
Moulded fritware with colour in and lustre over the glaze
Museum no. C.1977-1910. Bequest of George Salting [Jameel Gallery]
Production Note
Attributable to Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Ali al-Husaini, who signed the pair to this piece (1527-1876).
Categories
Islam; Architecture; Tiles; Lustre ware
Collection code
MES
