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Panel of Tiles

Arts of the Islamic World

On View: Arts of the Islamic World, 2nd floor
Glazed ceramic tiles were one of the most popular forms of architectural decoration in the Middle East. This panel of tiles has religious subject matter: the Arabic inscriptions name Allah, the Prophet Muhammad, and the four caliphs of the Sunni tradition. The decorative motifs make reference to Paradise, which in the Islamic tradition is described as a garden entered via a gateway with three arches.
MEDIUM Ceramic; fritware, painted in cobalt blue and turquoise under a transparent glaze
DATES 17th century
DYNASTY Ottoman
PERIOD Ottoman Period
DIMENSIONS 28 x 28 x 1 in. (71.1 x 71.1 x 2.5 cm) wallmount (overall with wall mount): 31 1/2 x 31 1/2 x 2 1/2 in. (80 x 80 x 6.4 cm)  (show scale)
INSCRIPTIONS In Arabic, painted from top right-to-left: "الله محمد ابو بکر عمر " [God Muhammad Abu Bakr Umar]; from middle right-to-left, "العزة لله" [Glory to God]; from bottom right-to-left, “عثمان علي” [Uthman Ali]. Transcribed by Abdullah Ghouchani, with English translation by Caitlin McKenna.
ACCESSION NUMBER 2002.3
CREDIT LINE Hagop Kevorkian Fund
PROVENANCE Prior to 2002, provenance not yet documented; April 23, 2002, purchased from Christie's London, Islamic Art and Manuscripts, lot 200 by the Brooklyn Museum.
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MUSEUM LOCATION This item is on view in Arts of the Islamic World, 2nd floor
CAPTION Panel of Tiles, 17th century. Ceramic; fritware, painted in cobalt blue and turquoise under a transparent glaze, 28 x 28 x 1 in. (71.1 x 71.1 x 2.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Hagop Kevorkian Fund, 2002.3. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 2002.3_PS9.jpg)
IMAGE overall, 2002.3_PS9.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2016
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RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
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