Publication Date
998 /1590
Publication Place
-
The National Museum in Damascus
Subject
A panel composed of multi-colored ceramic tiles under a glaze.
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Physical Dimensions
الارتفاع: 85 سم؛ العرض: 175 سم
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Library Asset ID
ع ر 168
Record ID
object;ISL;sy;Mus01;39;ar
Library Location
The National Museum in Damascus
Date
998 /1590
Notes
This piece is a sample of ceramic tiles, and is a slab in the shape of an arch. The background of the peripheral tiles is apple green, and the middle tiles are dark blue. The floral and epigraphic decorations are colored white and outlined with thin black lines. The technique used is to apply color under the glaze. This panel formed the highest window in a tomb belonging to the Mustafa Lalabash Mosque in Damascus, and the window overlooked a cemetery. Inscribed on the tablet is a three-line text in a third script that reads as follows: “The mercy of the Lord is preserved at all times. Everything is perishable except His face. Judgment belongs to Him and to Him you will be returned.” Also inscribed on the tablet is a well-crafted text with numbers that read “998,” in two places between these lines. The spaces between the words of the text are filled with delicate floral decorations. The drawings of the many types of flowers swaying in the breeze indicate that Islamic art absorbed Chinese influence. As for choosing the third font to write the text, it is a suitable font for decorating ceramics, as its dimensions are large and the shapes of its letters are crooked, allowing creativity in drawing.
Sample Text
Mona al-Moadin “Ceramic Plate” in Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;sy;Mus01;39;ar
