Fragment of Border
Unknown Artist
14th century
Medium
Wood; carved and painted
Dimensions
Ht. 1 1/8 in. (2.8 cm) W. 5 3/8 in. (13.7 cm) D. 1 3/16 in. (3 cm)
Classification
Wood
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Dr. Walter L. Hildburgh, 1951
Accession Number
51.45.1
Art Historical Context
This delicate *Fragment of Border*, crafted in the 14th century, offers a glimpse into the refined world of Islamic decorative arts. Carved and painted wood, just over 5 inches wide, this small surviving piece likely once adorned a larger architectural element such as a wooden screen panel, or mosque interior. Its modest—barely over an inch tall—highlight the exquisite precision required in medieval craftsmanship, where every curve and motif demanded masterful. In the Islamic world of the 14th, wood carving flourished as a key medium for non-figural decoration, emphasizing geometric patterns,...