Publication Date
About 1270
Publication Place
-
Museum of Islamic Art
Subject
Painted ceramics, faience mosaic.
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Physical Dimensions
الارتفاع: 395سم؛ العرض: 280 سم
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Library Asset ID
I. 7193
Record ID
object;ISL;de;Mus01;19;ar
Library Location
Museum of Islamic Art
Date
About 1270
Notes
The mihrab in the mosque shows the direction of Mecca, towards which the believer must face in his prayers. This mihrab belongs to the Bey Hakim Mosque, which donated its expenses and ordered its construction in Konya, the personal physician of the Seljuk Sultan Rumqilish Arslan IV (ca. 665/1266). This mihrab fits very well with other mihrab of that time due to the faience decorations, and the similarity is evident in the connection between the inscriptional decoration and other decorative elements. The decorations remained diverse because their elements were many and different. The various decorative bands, along with the writing and floral decoration, also formed an integrated unit. Small columns with cubic capitals surround the imaginary entrance to the religious world of Paradise. The lower part of the mihrab was always decorated during that period with geometric designs. In the upper section, arches of maqams are also attached to these drawings. There are also geometric decorations surrounding the arches. The geometric decoration of this mihrab located in Berlin is covered by a system of twelve-pointed stars. There are eight-pointed stars distributed in both areas of the wedges. As for the written decoration, it consists of various verses from the Holy Qur’an. On the upper façade we find verse 45 of Surah 29 inscribed there: “…And establish prayer. Indeed, prayer forbids indecency and evil...” The decoration was executed on the basis of a decorative unit that combines script decoration and various decorations by the tile makers. The colors turquoise blue, dark blue, black, and aubergine were chosen for these works, and the artists were also responsible for cutting the tiles so that the entire drawing appeared without any parts being lost. The production of tiles in Konya reached its highest level around the year 1260. In the thirteenth century, twenty-one mosques were decorated with tile mosaics. To watch a video presentation of this piece of art, click here (in English).
Sample Text
Annette Hagedorn “Mihrab” in Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;de;Mus01;19;ar
