Publication Date
386 - 411 AH / 996 - 1021 AD
Publication Place
-
Museum of Islamic Art
Subject
engrave.
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Physical Dimensions
الارتفاع: 325 سم ؛ العرض: 200 سم
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Library Asset ID
551
Record ID
object;ISL;eg;Mus01;27;ar
Library Location
Museum of Islamic Art
Date
386 - 411 AH / 996 - 1021 AD
Notes
The piece is a door with two leaves, each of which includes seven rectangular panels, some horizontal and the other vertical. The upper two fillings are decorated with two lines of writing in flowery Kufic script. It is noted that the location of these two gaskets within the door changed when they were reinstalled, and they replaced each other. In order for the text to be read correctly, one must begin by reading the top line of the left padding and then the top line of the right padding as follows: “Our Lord, the Commander of the Faithful / the Imam, Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah.” “May God’s prayers be upon him and his pure fathers and his sons.” Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah is an epithet specific to the Fatimid Caliph Al-Mansur, and his nickname is Abu Ali. The writing ends with a supplication to the caliph, which is a well-known Fatimid supplication that describes the fathers of the Fatimid caliphs as “the pure,” that is, free from impurity. This description describes the family of the Prophet Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, and those affiliated with them, such as the Fatimid caliphs. The remaining twelve inlays are decorated with deep-engraved floral decorations. These decorations show us the characteristics of the early Fatimid style in the art of wood carving, which is the beveled carving method that characterized the Tulunid style. It is noted that the decorative units take the form of plant veins, are characterized by elongation, and use a decoration in the form of a divided palm leaf with two lobes. It is also noted that a new decorative unit was used, which took the form of a kidney and evolved from the winged leaf. Thus, Bab al-Hakim sheds light on the development of an Islamic artistic style in woodcarving, and helps in dating some wooden artifacts.
Sample Text
Salah Sayour "Chapter of the ruler by the command of God. " under Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;eg;Mus01;27;ar
