Publication Date
497 / 1104
Publication Place
-
The National Museum in Damascus
Subject
Carved poplar wood inlaid with bone.
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Physical Dimensions
الارتفاع: 2.92م؛ القطر: 2.48م
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Library Asset ID
ع 97
Record ID
object;ISL;sy;Mus01;21;ar
Library Location
The National Museum in Damascus
Date
497 / 1104
Notes
This piece expresses the main position that Syria occupied in the field of woodcarving art in the Islamic world in that period. The upper piece is a rectangular wooden screen with frames dividing the face of the panel into rectangular areas, some of which are decorated with modified floral decorations executed in engraving, and it is in the form of a frame for the panel in the middle of which is the phrase “Basmala” written in complex geometric Kufic script and executed in the style of openwork engraving. Above the barrier there is an inscription in calligraphy, also located within a leafy plant center perforated with engravings, which can be read as follows: “Abu Jaafar Muhammad bin al-Hasan bin Ali Safi, Commander of the Faithful, may God accept him, in the months of the year four hundred and ninety-seven.” Also recorded is the text of verses 55 and 56 of Surah Al-Ma’idah (No. 5): “Your guardian is only Allah and His Messenger and those who believe who establish prayer and pay zakat while bowing, and whoever turns to Allah and His Messenger and those who believe, then the party of God will be victorious.” In the middle of the other side of the same screen is the phrase “God is Islam.” It was executed in perforated engraving and written in calligraphy within a center of decorations and plant trellises emanating from a small planter in the middle and bottom of the painting. The frame is decorated with Qur’anic verses written in calligraphy within a center of lush floral decoration. The Qur’anic text includes verse 18 and part of verse 19 of Surah Al Imran (No. 3): “God bears witness that there is no god but Him / And the angels and those given knowledge stand by / In justice there is no god but / He is the Mighty, the Wise. Indeed, religion is with Me.” The continuation of the part comes from verse No. 19, which reads “God is Islam” in the center of the painting, as we mentioned previously. The second piece of the barrier is the lower and larger part. It is also rectangular in shape and divided into three horizontal fields. The lower field consists of a row of double columns lathe between a rectangular head and heel. The middle field consists of a row of single columns executed with lathes and placed between the head and the heel in the form of a vase. The upper part is an engraved panel with decorative fields with polygonal frames containing geometric patterns and composed of turned wooden pieces, some of which are decorated with openwork carvings and some with columnar carvings with bone inlays.
Sample Text
Mona al-Moadin “Wooden screen in two pieces” in Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;sy;Mus01;21;ar
